




.* ^0 












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A 



i HISTORY OF BELFAST, 



.1 



WITH 



INTRdDUCTORY REMARKS 



ON 



► 












s 



ACADIA. 



BY WILLIAxM WHITE. 



BELFAST: 
PUBLISHED BY E. FELLOWES. 



1827. 



?i|ipf f?1ipf?1ifPf^1|Fl|FS^ ^i|i tf ift 



<HZST021Y OF BELFAST, 



WITH 



^INTRODUCTORY REMARKS 






ACADIA. i 



BY WILLIAM "WHITE. 



r BELFAST : 

?UBCTSHED BY E. FELLOWES. 

1827 



r 



BEDlCJiTIO:N' 



These pages have been prepared for the inhabitants 
of Belfast, and to them they are respectfully inscribed 
by their fellow citizen 

THE AUTHOR 

March J 1827. 



AD VER TISEMEJVT. 



Doctor Herman Abbot had collected many fact?, 
with the view of compiling a history of the town of 
Belfast. All the good purposes and labours of that 
worthy man were ended in his death, which occured, 
in the midst of his great usefulness, and filled society 
with grief His memoranda, by his administrator were 
placed in the j^ossession of the author, who has found 
them accurate and useful. And that no part of them 
should be lost to the public, the manuscript is lodg- 
ed in the Town Clerk's office. 

The manuscripts of Chadwicke and of Mitchell, and 
the books of the proprietors of the township ; the town 
records, and the records in the land office and the of- 
fice of Secretary of State of Massachusetts have been 
carefully consulted. The aim was a compilation of 
facts ; so far as opportunity and talent has permitted, 
in both which the author is much restricted, they are 
faithfully collected and recorded. Should this sketch 
preserve a single incident, or material, suitable to be 
used hereafter when the history of the State shall be 
written, this essay will not have been ahogether in. 
7ain. 



PREF.iCE, 



History has the advantage of addressing itself to the 
strongest of the human passions, self-love ; theretorej 
man in every condition in life from the rudest to the 
most polished, regards it with peculiar interest. Who 
is mere that has not a strong desire to know what pas- 
sed among his ancestors ? And who is there that 
does not believe that posterity will be eqMally desirous 
to know the fortunes of their ancestors r In this man- 
ner we are made to enjoy the past and the future as 
well as the present ; we are brought to a knowledge 
of generations that are gone by ; and seem also to 
kave a being with those that are yet to be born. 

Nations so rude as to have no knowledge of letters 
or of arts, indulge this passion tor history in raising 
mounds of earth, or heaps of stone, or other monu- 
ments, and rehearse songs and ballads, to perpetuate 
the deeds of ages past j and to them it is a pleasure 
superior to all others, excepting that of recountinor 
their own exploits. Among civilized nations this pas- 
sion grows in proportion to the means of gratifying it j 
and it is well^ if it excite, as nature intended, the 
industry of the mind to- improvement in virtue ; and 
make better men, and better citizens, by teaching 
them philosophy in the school of example. In the 
following pages the author has cauticfusly avoided any 
impeachment of the actions, opinions, or motives of 
the living ; and of the. dead he has been no less care= 
f'ii that nothing but the truth should be spoken. 



HISTORY OF BELFAST 



FJiRT FmS%. 

# 



This memoir, assuming to be the history of 
a town only, will go first into a brief detail of 
the political occurrences connected with the 
discovery and early history of the ancient 
province in which Belfast is situated. 

If any apology were required for this 
course, it might be found, in the considera- 
tion, that no condensed view of this subject 
is at present to be had. The incidents of 
interest connected with that portion of Acadia, 
mcluded in the present Commonwealth qf 
Maine, are scattered through many books, 
some of which have become rare ; and many 
Records and manuscripts to which access iB 
with difficulty obtained. 



10 HISTORY OF BELFAST. 



Cabot/ Cas})er de Cortereal,' Verrazza- 
no,5 Horn,-* WliitbonV Humphrey Gilbert/ 
Bernard Drake, ^ George Weymouth,® An- 
thony Shirley,^ Charles Leigh/ «> LaRoche,' ' 
Goswold,^* and Martin Pring,^ ^ in the order 
they are mentioned, and in the several years 
noted, on voyages pi discovery had visited the 
eastern frontier of Nort'h America ; but dis- 
covered no intention of effecting any perma- 
nent settlement. The French took some fish 
on the banks in 1504, and seventeen years af- 
wards fifty vessels of the several European 
nations' were engaged in that employment.'^ 
In 1522, fifty houses had been erected on 
Newfoundland.'^ The number of fishing 
vessels had increased by 1578 to three hun- 
dred and fifty.' ' 

Pierre du Gast,* a servant - in great favour 
with majesty, and one of the bed chamber of 



1, 1497._o, 1500.— 3, 1524.— 4, 1536.— a, 
6,1583.-7, 1586.— 8, 1593.— 9, 597.— 10, 1597.— 
11, 1598.— l^i, 1602.— 13, 1603.— 14, Anderson's his- 
tory of commerce, 2d. 9-34. — 15, American Annals, 1, 
67.-16, Anderson, 2, 144. 

* Sieur de Monts ; Sullivan in his history has it De 
Motte. 



HISTORY OF BELFAST. 11 

Henry IV, was appointed Lieutenant General 
of Acadia and the adjoining country, with an 
authority,civil as well as military, unrestricted. 

The Lettres^ gave him all that portion of 
America between 40° and 46^ of north lati- 
tude, and from the Atlantic ocean westward 
to the western ocean.f 

Early in the following year du Gast em- 
l)arked for America. He entered upon the 
expedition with all the zeal, that a well found- 
ed hope of becoming the sole prince of so 
wide a dominion, might be supposed to excite. 
His lleet arrived on the coast at a harbour 
now called Liverpool.^ On doubling the 
Cape Sable and entering the bay of Fund ay 
they discovered the harbour of Port Royal . 
with which, Poutrincourt, a friend of du Gast, 
was so delighted, that no less could be done, 
than to make it his by formal assignment.|| 

After surveying the Bay, du Gast lan down 

*L'Escarbot, 417. See appendix No. 1. 

I Hazard Coll. page 45, the letters are dated Nov. 
8th, 1803. 

J Belknap^s Biog. 1 , 324. — ji American Annals, page 
148, note 3. 



12 HISTORY OF BELFAST. 

the coast as far at least as Kinnibekei ; and 
returning he passed the winter in a fort which 
he built on an island in a river by him nam- 
ed St. Croix, which was the first settlement of 
Europeans in Acadia. 

At this period, the public mind became 
generally awakened in Europe, and making 
discoveries and planting colonies in America, 
was the most fashionable of princely employ- 
ments. 

In England, the Earl of Southhampton with 
his associates, was deeply interested in the 
subject; and George Weymouth, who twelve 
years before had been on the Labrador coast, 
was by them equipped and commissioned to 
cross the Atlantic in search of a north west 
passage to China. 

This distinguished naval officer has the rep« 
utation of commanding the first European 
ship, that is known to have entered the Pe- 
no"bscot river. "^ It was in early summer that 
Weymouth entered the river, when the forest 



* 1605, Belknap's Biog. vol.2, page 149. American 
Ann. 151. 



HISTORY OF BELFAST. l3 

trees are the richest and the proudest oi all 
the trees, and the scenery was new and bold 
and imposing. He was lost in solemn delight- 
On his return to England he published a his- 
tory of his vovao-e : and his imao-ination com- 
municated to his storj the spirit and coloring 
of romance. At hrst his book gave to the 
friends of colonization a more extended and 
animated support ;* afterwards it 'as con- 
demned as a collection of fables. 

The abode for one winter, of Popham and 
Gilbert with 43 others on Parker's Island at 
the mouth of Kennebec river, cannot be con- 
sidered a settlement,t but Aaldworth and 
Elbridge who twenty one years afterwards 
planted themselves at Bristol, made their 
patent eilectual by an uninterrupted occupa- 
tion of the teritory, and in 1631 received a 
grmt from the Plymouth Companv of Devon, 
investing them severally of 6G00 acres, each 
of their people or servants of 100 acres : and 

* In the next vear 1606 the grants of North Vir- 
ginia aLid :?..uth Virginia were made. Sullivan, '■212. 

I 1607— 8. 



14 HISTORY OF BELFAST. 

Miy acres for each child that should be born 
to the Individuals of the company witinn seven 
years next after the Grant.* In some instan- 
ces the lineal descendants of these grantees 
are now, the possessors. In the same year 
that Bristol was settled Charles 1st of England 
made letters patentt to Beaiichamp and Lev- 
erett investing them of the title to a tract of 
lar.d east cf the Muscongus river and bounded 
upon it, — and from the Atlantic ocean extend- 
ing ten leagues into the land. 

The description in this grant implies an in- 
tention of conveying a teritory ten leagues 
square; J but the language adopted is full of un- 
certainty, and much perplexity ensued in set- 
tling its limits. 

France in the mean time had made great 
progress in fortifying her positions on and near 
the Bay of Funday,and the right of sovereign- 
ty over that portion of Maine which has the 

* " The place was occupied soon after by the 
French" Sir Samuel Argal remsved them in 1613 Sul- 
ivan (Hubbard) 170. 

t Hazard Coll. page 315 vol. 1st. 

J John Gleason Esq. has the original charter. See 
Appendix, No. 2. 



HISTORY OF BELFAST. ^15 

Kennebec and Androscoggin rivers for \U 
^vi3stern boundary was claimed by both king- 
doms. For a century and a half the question 
remained unsettled ; although it was repeated- 
ly made the subject of treaty between the 
two nations ; and not until Quebeck came 
into the possession of England, was France 
willing entirely to relinquish all liope of holding 
a footing upon this part of the new continent. 

During this stormy period, whenever the 
animosity of these rival nations, for any cause 
was about to discover itself in action, some 
transaction by authority in Acadia could read- 
ily be found to furnish a plausible pretext for 
war. And these nations, polislied as they are, 
have been, perhaps more than most others, ac- 
customed to enforce their doubtful claims when 
resisted, by the last argument of kings. 

In these conflicts contrary to all humanity 
the savage was enlisted ; an enemy so fero- 
cious as to make it his amusement to torment 
his captive. To the sudden invasions of these 
merciless butchers^ the provincials were con- 

* Smollett's England, vol. 2, page 575. Phila. ed. 



16 HISTORY OF BELFAST. 

tinually exj3osed. So long as the settlements 
were iew and Aveak they were made to suffer. 
Tiiose, liaving been planted under nie counte- 
nance of one nation, were not to expect in the 
character of the other any thing but enmity. 
They preyed upon each other. The induce- 
ments the country offered to emigrants were 
greatly diminished in value by this unsettled 
and turbulent state of the province. And the 
melancholy fate that awaited those, or many 
of them, who had the hardihood to encounter 
the sufferings connected with the attempt to 
• effect a settlement within the contested terri- 
tory, was made a standing theme of popular 
lamentation. 

For reasons like these, Acadia continued an 
almost unbroken wilderness, after villages had 
been planted on the northern and western 
borders, and had grown into comparative im- 
portance. 

Sir Samu«l Argal of Virginia, in 1613^ 
found some French families at Penobscot, and 
also at Mount Manse !,t now Mount Desert.,. 

*Hutchinson, 1, 32. t Sullivan, 274^ 275. 



HISTORY OP BELFAST. 17 

and dislodged them ; and proceeding east- 
ward, seized the forts of St. John, Port Royal, 
and La Have, and made prize of the goods and 
effects they contained. He took with him 
on hrs -'cturn to Virginia the French settled 
at the mouth of the Kennebec. The English 
liad not, as yet, extended their views beyond 
the Penobscot ; and the French returned to 
their more eastern positions. Sullivan says, 
the Plymouth Colony first visited the Penob- 
scot In 1621 f this is probably an error, for 
In three other Instancest the same historian 
dates tlie building of the i'ort or trading-house 
at Castine in 1626, and Hutchinson fixes the 
year to be 1627 ;J and Bristol we have seen 
was settled In the following year. 

The settlement at Castlne paid no regard to 
agriculture ; the sole object of that little com- 
munity was peojce and trade with the sava- 
ges. 

James I. of England had made a compliment 
of Nova Scotia, the English name for Acadia, 

* Page 274. j Pages 275, 157 and 158. 
X Page 32. 

2* ' 



18 HISTORY OF BELFAST. 

to Sir William Alemnder,^ and Sir William 
had sold it to France ; and the fort at Castlne 
with the property appurtenant was claimed 
by the French under the conveyance.t In > 
1632 a French vessel visited the Penobscot^ 
" having a false Scot aboard ;"J they seized , 
the fortress, pillaged it of 500/. in property, 
and departed. The post remained with the . 
English until 1635, when Rossillan, Governor 
of La Have, despatched D'i\uhjey to take and 
hold the possession. Let not France be has- 
tily censured for these measures. Her sub- 
jects, as we have seen, had purchased the-^ 
country of England, and in the treaty of St. 
Germalns, 1632, *' the frenchified court of king 
Charlcs,"|| conlirmed the sovereignty of Aca- 
dia in the French throne.§ 

Girling, commanding au English armed ship, 

*1G2],Sept. 10. Coiif- niccl 1625, July 12. Sir 
William conveyed 1630, April 30, to French gentlemen 
named, on condition that they are and will be laith/ul 
to Scotland. Jefferson's notes, :44 and onv.ard. 

t Hutchinson, 33. 

j Gov. Bradford's report in Hutchinson, page 34 

11 ilntchinson's expression, page 34, vol. 1. 

§ American Annals, "zdd. 



HISTORY OP BELFAST., 1^ 

at the Instigation of the Plymouth colony, im- 
mediately attempted to reoain the i*>rt at 
Penohscot, but without success, and France 
was left in actual possession until 1654.* 

D'Aulney was made Govenior of Penta- 
goet,t and died in that oiiice in IG.^l.;!: At 
this time Cromwell was at war with HollMisd, 
and sent CoL Sedgwick against IS t^^-\ <rk^ 
the strong" hold of the Dutch in America. — 
Peace was made before Sedgwick had an op- 
portunity to bring his armament into action,, 
and he turned his attention upon Acadia. — 
First he possessed himself of the fort at Pen- 
obscot, and afterwards every other fortress or. 
settlement on the Acadian frontier. 

it' the Protector did not in Ids general com^ 
mh^ion direct trie expedition, he made no pub-v 
lie disavovval of the conduct of Sed wick,* and 
could never be persuaded to restore|| the con- 



* Am. annals, ^84. 

I The original French name of Castine, &c. 

Ij Cromwell granted Acadia to Etienne, Crown andr 
T< mi>le in \(Sd(j. jiaking the rivei :^t. George ihe 
wehiera boundary. — i lazaid coll. 1, 616. Col. Lenj- 
pie Jived at Penobscot some years. — Sullivan, 168. 



20 HISTORY OF BE*.FAST. 

quered territory. But his successor in 1667 
was more complaisant, while a Dutch fleet i 
was carrying war and terror up the Thames, 
and to free England under such circumstances 
a peace was purchased of the "allies-' upon 
the hest terms to be obtained ; and France 
recovered the possession of her favorite Aca- 
dia. 

During the past tim«, the Indians, under 
various provocations, by them alleged, mani- 
fested an increasing bitterness of enmity to- 
wards the English settlements. Tliat their 
complaints had no foundation, is not to be rea- 
diiv admitted. In the fur trade they were 
liable to be duped; and if afterwards they 
discovered the imposition it was considered an 
aiiVont not to be forgotten. In attempting 
to avenge it they sometimes shed blood. — 
Taemselves sometimes sulTered — in eitl.er le- 
sult the contest was food lor their implaca- 
ble resentment. 

In the vear 1655, Charles II. granted to 
the Duke of York tht s^cction of country ly- 
ing between Pemaquid on the west and the 



HISTORY OF BELFAST. 21 

rirer St. Croix ; and, in 1677, the Duke direc- 
ted his Governor, resident at INevv-York, to 
enter upon the patent and hold it in possess- 
ion. Andros ace ordingly sent a force to Pem- 
aquld, and. erected a ibrt, and established a 
, garrison; and the settlements in that vicinitj 
I were joined bj many Dutch families from 
' ^ew-York.*, 

This fort for some years served to hold the 
! Reigbboriny; savages in awe ; especially those 
j upon the Penobscot. 

I Soon after the peace of Breda, the French 

j regiment of Carignan was disbanded in Canada^ 

I and the commander the exccntric St. Castiens 

came to Penobscot, and took possession oi the 

I plantation which Col Temple had recently 

I abandoned. The Baron, for so Castiens is 

i called, greatly enlarged the gardens, ajid re- 

j newed and strengtliened the fort ; his object 

i was trade with the savages ; he had learned 

I their language in Canada, and although a 

"gentleman of fortune,'' was not averse t© 

their solitarv habits of life. 

f * 

^Belknap's J^. II. 1, 158. Sullivan's M. 160. Am, 
AniialB, 44:2. 



22 HISTORY OP BELFAST; 

The Baron opened a large trade in fish and 
I'urs, which he received in exchange for Eu- 
ropean merchandize. Naturally artful and' 
insinuating, and heing well informed, he soon 
rendered himself the idol and oracle of the 
indian tribes. Madocawando, the Sachem of 
Penobscot, gave to the Baron his favorite 
daughter, to grace the circle of his indian 
wives ; and whenever the interests of the trioe 
were at hazard, the father-in-law took coun- 
cil with his son, whose secret influence \vas 
felt throughout all the settlements in New- 
En-land. In some instances the Baron led 
the tribe to battle.* 

When Acadia, as far as St. Croix, became a 
part of the Massachusetts by charter,! this 
already powerfurcolony began the needful 
work of protecting the interests of the settle- 
ments within that territory. The fort built 
by Andros at Pemaquid had fallen and decay- 
ed. The General Court authorized Gov. 



M^ * Abbe Raynal, 7, 219. LaHolt^n's voyages. 

\J^ 1 1692. 



HISTORY OF BELFAST. 23 

Phipps to rebuild it with stone ; and with all 
possible expedition the work was executed. 

Nor was this all that Massachusetts con- 
ceived for the good of their new subjects ; a 
statute was enacted and pubhshed, proliibi- 
ting under penalty any subject of France from 
entering any port in the new portion of the 
province, without license first obtained from 
the Governor and council. 

Measi*res less imperious in their bearing 
would probably, by France, have been deem- 
ed a sufficient provocation for renewing the 
war. 

' Massachusetts was to be taught, that legis- 
lation alone could not prove a suflicient se- 
curity for her, of the newly acquired territory. 

i Officers of merit, Iberville and Bonaventure, 
were commissioned for the service ; and with 
a sufficient fleet arrived in Penobscot bay. 
Here Castiens joined them with a force of 
two hundred indians of Penobscot. Of sav- 
ages he was a worthy chief. The united 
force appeared at Pemaquid, oh the four- 

! teenth day of August, and beseiged the fort- 



^4 HISTORY OF BELFASt. 

No declaration of war had preceded this 
movement; nothing had transpired to put the 
^irrison on tlieir guard. They were suita- 
bly equipped, and sufficiency strong in num- 
bers, to resist the assaults of the tribes of sav- 
ages that surrounded them. The sum- 
mons from this great force to surrender the 
fortress, received an answer of defiance, and 
the battle began. 

An attempt was made to storm the fort- 
ress, which proved unsuccessful ; and Castiens 
foresaw that much time would be required to 
secure their object, if sought through the 
ordinary modes of warfare ; and that what 
Gould be done, must be done, before knowl- 
edge of the expedition should reach Boston. 
He formed his purpose, that if they contin- 
ued to resist, but without final success, they 
should be given up to the rage of hi^ sava- 
ges; that in prompt submission alone they 
were to hope for safety. Such information 
was appalling to the soldiery to whom Casti- 
ens contrived to communicate it in a letter un- 
der his own hand; and they constrained their 
commander to capitulate. No time was lost 



HISTORY OF BELFASrf. 25 

in demolishing- the fort; aiihifter a slay of 
some days at Penobscot the armament retur- 
ned to the Bay of Fund v.* 

T'le surrender was deemed by the govern- 
ment of Massachusetts to have been precipi- 
tate, and the commander of the fort was de- 
prived of his commissirn. The treaty of Rys- 
\ wick in the following year, was altogether ii- 
' lusory, so far as it concerned the American 
Coh^nies. 

M. Villabon, in 1698, renewed the war by 
exciting the savages ; and his viev/s were pro- 
moted by Ralle, a French Jesuit, who had ta- 
', ken a residence witii tlic Iiidians at Norridg- 
wog. In him the French had found another 
Castiens ; as a priest, he had secured tlie con- 
fidence of the natives, and moved them as he 
"was instructed by the government of Quebec. 
The English settlements had long been great- 
ly annoyed by this tribe; and Capt. Harmon 
and Capt. Moulton were despatched from 
Yorkt to destroy tiiem. I'he exi.eiiiljr'U \,as 
marraged with energy ; eigiity of the tribe, 

^ Hutchinson, 2d, 89, 133, 286. t ^"^24. 

3 



26 HISTORY OF BKLFAST, 

with their priest, were slain; tlieir altar bro- 
ken down, and their d\vellings demolished.* 
It was a check so severe, that savasre couraae 
never after recovered its accustomed tone in 
the urovince. 

The treaty of Utrecht (1713) it was expec- 
ted would forever quiet French claims to 
Acadia. That instrument in the tweli'th par- 
ticular provision, confirmed the provhice to 
England, as the same was described in the 
treaty of St. Germains, or as ancient Acadia.t 

The Island of Cane Bretton only remained 
to France. The ancient Acadia was bounded 
bv Henry IV. in his o;rant to De Monts. The 
treaty had in some respects restricted it.— 
T.:e French ministry intended to restrict it 
mi;ch moie. They were indignantly oppos- 
ed ; and the colonies still found themselves at^ 
war, notwithstanding X\\<i declaration of peace. 

Beauchamp and Leverett, before mention- 
ed, had not entered upon their patent; and 
in 1719, John Leverett, at that time Govern* 

* Belknap's N. H. 2d, page 60. 
t See Appendix No. 3. 



HISTORY OF BELFAST. 27 

or of Massachusetts, representing himself sole 
heir of Thomas Leverett, who as the surviv- 
or of Beauchamp, became tho sole proprie- 
tor, and prefered his claim to the estate. 

Mr. Leverett found many iaipediments to 
the establisliment of his title;. and made it 
conyeiiient, in order to overcome them, 'to as- 
sociate wit.'i him liine other persons of great 
consideration; oni2 of wliom was Sir William 
Phipps, who in his r,igh(;, brouo-jit into the com^ 
pany the Indian deed of Maclocawando, con- 
veving the interest the tnbc had claimed in 
the territory. These were afterr/ards called 
Hhc ten proprietors." Subsequent! j,and in the 
same year, 1 7 19, twenty other persons were 
made to share an interest in the patent. By 
this time, so much of the nobility of Massa- 
chusetts had become personally interested in 
the claim, that its merits were easily made 
manifest. 

But under the treaty of Utretclit the British 
Crown prefered claim, by right of conquest 
and cession, to the Avhole province of Acadia, 
notw^ithstanding it had been, by the same 
crown, before granted. Tiiis was. not to have 



28 msToiiy of eelfast. 

been exoec^ed. As subjects of Great Brit- 
ain, (he company had siiijposed that the ben- 
efit of the cession from France to England 
AVould belong to them ; as England, at a pre- 
vious period, when their ri^;ht was not ifi dis- 
pute, with' consideration, had bestowed it up- 
on those from whom the claiiii of the compa- 
ny was derived. 

The pertinacity of ministers so alarmed the 
thirty proprietors, that in 1732 they joined in 
a deed of one entire half of the patent to 
Gen. Samuel Waldo, in consideration that he 
would obtain from the crown a relinquishment 
of this arbitrary claim. 

After many years of untiring applicatioa 
at court, Waldo procured a reference of the 
question to the ''law officers of the crown," 
who found but little difficulty in forming an 
opinion in favor of the company. 

It was afterwards agreed by the company 
to dissolve the partnership, and divide the es- 
tate^ The ten proprietors took to their s.hare 
Frankfort and that vicinity. The twenty be- 
fore named, had Camden, Hope, Appleton, 
Montville and Montyille Plantation set to 



HISTORY OF BELFAST. 29' 

them'; and the res'due of the patent apper- 
tained to Waldo. When the boundaries of 
the patent came to be asce'^tained by actual 
inspection, it was found that Waldoboroiigh 
river, and a line from the head thereof to the 
northwest cornei- oi' Thorndike, thence on the 
nortii line of Tliorcdikc, Jackson, Monroe and 
Frankfort to the river, and thence by the riv- 
er and bay -of Penobscot to tliC sea shore, and 
thence bv the sea shore to the nionth ol' Wai- 
doboroi^Lch river, embraced ti]e territory gran- 
ted. 

The necessary surveys were effected by 
Waldo in 1759, and in September of that 
year he died at fort Pownal in Pros|>ect.— - 
The general court of Massachusetts Bay in 
1762, confirmed tlie title oi the respective 
claimants to the territory described ; and the 
state legislature in 1785 reieated tlie same 
act of confiru}ation. Two lifths of the Waldo 
claim having however been si^qyesvered by the 
state, in liie interval, was purchased by Gen, 
Knox, who had acquired tiie other portions al- 
so, two fifths by purchase, and one by mar- 



riaoc. 



3* 



30 HISTORY OF BELFAST. 

After the peace of Utrecht, British power 
in Acadia began to assume an imposing ati- 
tude. The Indians, becoming sensible of 
ihcir growing weakness, began to be more |)a- 
cifx. Massachusetts was already formidable, 
ar?d entertained no kindness towards France. 
French influence was rapidly declining in all 
tiie northern provinces, add the less of Lou- 
isburg, in 1745, the founding of Halifax, in 
1748, and the capture cl Quebec m l^b^* 
extinguished her last hope. 



* In this year Gov. Pownall built the fort in Pros- 
pect. hS the cost ot^4969/ : 17s : 2d. and placed in it a 
garrison consisting of one hundred nun. The year 
pu VI' us, the Indians had made an assau.t upon lort 
G'v rge and the settlements on Georges river. Alter 
foit Pownal vvas built nothing more is heard of their 
ravases. Jlmer. Annals. 



pjirt SE€o^'n. 



The province of Ulster in Irelanc', hn/ving 
fallen ihto the crown by attainder of reb- 
els, James I. of Eniiland, introduced ccniian- 
jes of farmers from Englai d ard Scotlan'J, to 
im; rove and enjoy that fertile section of the 
U n ■ i e d K, i n <i;d o m . 

A society of Pj'esbylerians from Scoiland, 
were among: them. In tiie reian oi Charies f. 
and that of James II. protestantism was not 
favored in London ; in Ireland it was perse- 
CLited. These presbyterians liad become nu- 
merous ; an hundred famihes of them adopted 
the resolutionof removing- to America. Tiiej 
embarked, and with ministers of religion, ac- 
cord in<^ to their own forms and faith in the 
po rf^ )rmance and eilicacy of worship, arri\ed 
at 8o-t, n in ^he autumn of 1718. Early in 
the following year, a portion of these adven- 



32 HISTORY OF CELFASr. 

furers planted themselves in Nutfield, a plair- 
tation in tlie proviixe ol New Hampshire. — 
Their first care was to place over their relig- 
ious interests James McGregore, who had ac- 
companied them from Ireland. This little 
colony were industrious, irugal and pious ; and 
necessarily become populous, T-nd accumulated 
property. 

Of the Israelites it was said, that the land 
in which they . were stran ;ers cculd not bear 
them because of their cattle; these prcsby- 
terians found it necessary to seek some 
M )unt Seir lor their accommodation. 

In every direction rich land was open to 
purchasers; and a company was formed, who 
examined, and afterwards selected and pur- 
chased the site of Belfast. 

The heirs of General Waldo conveyed the 
tract to John Mitchell and thirty one others, 
in shares, according to the interest of each 
proprietor.* 

* The following is a list of the names of the original 
proprietors, uith their respective, number of shares an- 
«exed The whole number being fifty-one. 

John Mitchell, 6 shares — John Gilmore, 5-^Rob- 



IIISTCRY OF UrXFAST. SS 

This early [^urcliaFe ex«in|Ued the iiihabl- 
tants oi licila&t truui the gieat evil, Vv.sich 
the want oi' liiie, inilicted u|:on m.iuy oli.cr 
towns in Maine alter the revchUiun; yet the 
entire devotion of Beliast, (o the cause ol iree- 
dom on that occasion, lo'^t tlienfi all else but 
the bare title to their lands.* 



ert Patterson, 3 — John Steele, 3 — Sairme! Houston, 2 
— James McGrrgore, 2 — John Tutts, i — John Moor, 
1 — J<^sep!i j\I':>ri ison, 1 — John Durhan), 1 — William 
McLaughlin and Vviliiam Patterson, 1 — James McGre- 
gore, Jr. 1 — John Brown, 1 — W illiam Clcndiiion. 1 — 
John Morrison, 1 — Matthew Reed, 1— R^-bert McEI- 
vane, 1 — Alexander Wilson, 1 — Alexander Stewart, t' 
—Alex. Little, 1— James Miller, 1— San;uei Mar^h, 

1 — Mones Darrctt, ] — John Davidson, 1 David 

Hemphill, 1 — Matthew Chambers and .lames Me- 
Laughlin, 1 — Natlianiel Martin, i — Jos^ej h Oreg, 1— =• 
Joha Cochran, 1 — Mitchell, (*ilmore, Harnett, Tui'ts, 
Houston, Moor, ard M'Grerore, Jr. as proprietors 
©onnnittcvi, four vshares — James (Milmore, 2 shafes. 

Mr. Jolsn Cochran is the only sXirviving original 
proprietor, and resides in Belfast, enjoying a large cir- 
cle of lelatives, and }>ossessing the coni'dence oi very 
nraiij devoted (iiends. The evo^ning of life is pleas- 
Frit to him, and he is closing it in the enjoyment oi' all 
its substantial comtbrts. 

The facts vvhich Mr. Coch'an has connv^'inicated, 
belonging to this memoir of Belfast, require and re-^ 
oeive the a<'know!rd<inient of the compiler. 

•^Ueliast, by the U aldo deed, is bounded from haU-< 



3:^4 HISTORY OP BEfPAST. 

In 1770, Mitche'!,* Miller,! Chambers^ 
Wm. AJcLaug.hhn, Wui. Patterson.!] and J ohu 
Cochran, of the original proprietors, and Jas. 
Pahcrson, Nathiniel Patterson, John Moi'ris- 
on, and Thomas Sieele,§ the reDr'^sentatives 
oi' others, bcoan to open the forest prepara- 
tory to hii?ban.!rj. 0;^e continued wlider- 
nesri now eMtcnded from Georges' river to the 

v/ay creek, (being the wc^iteilv bounrlary of Frorik*- 
ihvt ) westerly r'friud the harbour called Passagawa-sa- 
keag to liUle river ; 2diy, iVom thenee upward Uy 
suvidry turns in iittie river, about as far as salt water 
fir=\vs,and crossing th- river to a black birch tree, c-.-'m- 
puted thijty-seyeii chains ; Sdly, from Jlience south 
€0 degrees west J;2C cliaiud to a birch tree ; 4thly^ 
froin thence north i>2 degrees west 3 72 ciiains, equal to 
4 mil-^s 208 rod?, to a rock-mapl« tree, one rod wester.^ 
of a (juarry of stones ; othly, trorn ihcnce nortii 0/6 de- 
grees east 602 chauis, equc^l to seven miles and tliree 
quarters, to the westerly line of Frankfort ; 6th ly, 
fv«;m thence south thirty-seven chains to the largest 
of hali-v/ay creek pond.s ; Tthiy, from thenco downwards 
bythe stream, called halt-way creek, to the iirst men- 
tioned place. 

* Mitchell settled upon now Thomas Reed's farm. 

tMiiier wiiere Mr. Frothingham now resides. 

j Charalieis upon Jud::e Reed'.; lands. 

|i McLaughlin and Patterson on Mr. Sargent's lot. 

6; Morrison a;id Ste'Me were drowned in Dec. 1T70., 
in attempting to retuin from Penobscot river, where 
(hey had oeen in a canoe tQ a corn mill. 



HISTORY OF BFXFAST. *3-§ 

^Penob^.cot ; and nntil this time, over this now 
busy {leld^ the noise oi' labour had never d1s» 
turbcd the silence of ages. When this Httle^ 
color>y had grown to no niore than twentj-iive 
famihes, * their ■j)ros|)ects so filled them with 
hope, that thej requested to be incorpora- 
ted ; and the ^^eneral court ol* George HI. 
^'avc their habitation a name, with the usual 
munici|)al attributes. 

" Previous to executing the deed of Belfast^ 
the grantors had employed Richard Stimson 
to survey and make a suitable location for a 
road from Georges' river in Thomaston to fort 
point in Prospect; and Stimson having len- 
dered the service, was to be entitled to one 
hi lire 1 acres of land on any part of the 
rou(e he should select. The work was per- 
formed, and Stimson made choice of a plat on 
the west and adjoining to the -' half-way 
creek," which is the line between Beil'ast and 



I * William Patterson, 2d. and Marv Mitchell were the 

j fir-i to JO j »i le-l in indiriti^^e 1 in '* .tf;u» ta vvas trie 

1 fi: I vviiite o iild bora in the town. Sao was the witb 

1 •! linos V> est. 



Jo HISTOnV OF USLFA^T. 

Prospect. Here vStiin^cn w.-Ij h\i^ f?.mi]y h^d 
arrived before tbp. Beli'ust ^proprietory \^^\d 
come Uito T'^ssrs^ion ; aid by Chadw] /> 
sv;rvcj Siimsoirs location is wltbin tlso town. 
a?'d he may therefore be calicd the first sct- 
tier, although not connected with the pro- 
prietors/' — Dr. Abh')Vs . ri'.s. 

At i\iilcheh''s house'bj the shore, eastward 
and near the mouth of Goose river, on tlie 
eleventh daj of November, 1773, the cor- 
poration was oro'antzed. The following is a 
copy of the warrant. 
" To John Mitchell of Belfast, Gentleman, 

GREETING. 

Whereas the great and general Court at 
their sessions begun an 1 held at Boston, 
upon Wednesday the 26'h day of Maj last, 
passed an act for incorporating a certain tract 
of land, on the Vvosterlj side of Penobscot 
bay into a Town by ih^^nane of Belfast in the 
county of Lincoln ; and the said v:eneral Court 
having empowered me tlie supscriber to isvSue 
a warrant diiecto«.l to s >^ne principal inhabi- 
tant in said town ty ;>'!iV a :d wari.. i- 
habitanis tiiereof quahtied by law to vole m 



laiSTORY OP BELFAST. , 37 

iijwn affairs, to meet at such tanc and place as 
slivii? be thereiD set forth ; to choose s?jch 
©fhcers as may be necessary to manage the 
aJiiiirs of said town. At the which first meet- 
in :*1 the male inhabitants that become at the 
as;o of twenty-one years, shall be admitted to 
Tote. 

These are therefore in his majesty's name 
lo require you the said John Mitchell to notify 
the said inhabitants of Belfast to meet at your 
dwelhng iiouse in said town, on Thursday the 
llih day of November, at ten of the clock in 
the forenoon. Then and there to choose a 
town clerk, selectmen, and all other town 
officers according to law. And make return 
of this warrant, with your doings, as soon af- 
ter the same is carried into execution as may 
be. 

Given under my hand and seal at Frankfor^ 
October. !773. 

(Signed,) THO : GOLDTHWAIT.^' 

T ;e inhabitants when as«embled made 
choice ol Col. Goidiiiwait for moderator^ 



\ 



38 HISTORY OF BELFAST. 

Johii Mitchell, 1 own Clerk^ ; John BroAtii, 
Benjamin Nesmith, James Patterson, Select- 
men ; John Barnet, Treasxircr ; John Durliam, 
jr. Alexander Clark, James Miller, Surveijors 
of highways; William Patterson, sen. Consta- 
ble ; John Durham, sen. James Morrow, War- 
dens ; and thus the town became an oro^anized 
body. Col. Goldthwait here mentioned is 
tlie same who at this time commanded the 
fort on Fort Point ; to this fortress the inhal> 
Jtants of Belfast were taught to look for suc- 
cour in a season of distress ; but on the cona* 
mencement of actual hostilities with Britain, 
the Colonel forsook the colonj and adhered 
closely to the crown. 

This little company were immersed in a 
wilderness, far from the capitol of Nevv- Eng- 
land, the nursery of the spirit of human free- 
dom, then about to be developed ; first to the 
admiration, and afterwards the applause of the 
civilized world ; but while ye^i in Britain their 

*The Town Clerks that have succcded Mitchell are 
seven. Samuel Houston, Alexander Clark, Jonathan 
Wilson, William Moody, Btnjarain Whittier, Herman 
Abbotj Nathaniel H. Bradbury. 



niS^ITlRY OP BELFASIV 5^ 

lathers had entertained slnnhir senliments, and 
the hall' century they, as a peoj,tIe, had aheady 
passed in America only served to enhghten ilm 
views and strengthen the hopes they liad inr 
iierited. Their feelings were entirely in uni- 
son with the i'riend;^ of the [:eople ; and in 
1776 they adopted those precautionary njeas- 
uras,"^ best calculated to secure the indepeu- 
dence of the country. 

In addition to a committee of safety, the in-, 
habitants in 1777 elected a censor; vvliose da- 
ty as appears on the record of the meeting 
was " to lay before the General Court thewiscor^. 
duct of any person, by ivord or action against 
the United States ;" and Solon Stevenson was 
appointed to this distinguished ofHce. In 1 778 
the town voted unanimously to approve and 
adopt the constitution of government, which 

tlie Massachusetts colony had prepaied for 

their acceptance. 

The period was fast approaching when the 

* John Tuft^, John Brown, Solon Stevenson, James 
Patterson, and Samuel Houston Committee of Safety. 
John Tuiis Representative. John Tuits to be- Juajticci 
of the Peace., 



40 msTORY ep belpasc. 

principles of those few patriots were made to 
uiiderg^o the severest test. They were reqinr° 
ed to dei]j their professions or sacrifice their 
property. 

General McLean* with a force of six hun^ 
(Jred and iifty men had established a post at 
Bigaduce for the protection of Nova Scotia 
against the incursions oi" the p^iriot?.. In the 
summer of 1779, an expedition was fitted out 
and despatched from Boston to make a con- 
quest of this fortress. Seventeen ships, of all 
descriptions, having aboard, fifteen hundred 
troops, Saltonstall commodore, and Gen. Lov- 
ell commanding the army, in July arrived in 
the Penobscot Bay. Three small armed British 
vessels only were then in the harbour of Big- 
aduce. 

Saltonst all's largest ship carried thirty-six 
ofuns. On his arrival, Mitchell and others were 
requested to visit the fleet and communicate 
their knowledge of the position and strength 
of the enemy ; these strenuously advised G.jn. 
Loveil to an immediate assault. 'They saw 



S' 



'•. Bissett's England; vol. 1, page 61'? 



JrifcBTORY OF BELFAST. 41 

m iormidable obstacle to enterintr the harbor, 
securing the thiee vessels that were there^ 
landing the troops aod marching into the tort. 
This counsel was not rehshed. It was th( n 
advised that a portion might land in ilie liar-- 
hour, and the residue at Perkin's cove, which 
was taking the enemy in front and in rear at 
the same time; this advice was also disregard- 
ed. Biit, in his own time, Lowell landed his 
men in one body, at Dice's head, a bank so 
bold and so elevated, as to be ascended by^ an 
army only with great difficulty, when no oppo- 
sition should be offered ! McLean had posted 
a detachment on the summit and disputed the 
ground. A landing was elfected, with the loss 
of thirteen patriots killed and a number wound- 
ed. 

Lovell now had hi&foe in his grasp. But 
he sets himself down before the fortress, and 
makes dispositions for a regular siege. The 
breast work ol'the enemy was a fence of rails 
slatted perpendicularly with pipe staves. 
Weeks were consumed in tiiis indecisive war- 
fare ; when Admiral Colher, despatched from 

INew York, arrived m the Bay with arespecta^ 

4^ 



42 aiSTORY OF BELFA31 . 

'ble squadron, in aid of McLean. At once alt 
Avas confusion. Lovell broke up his camp and 
evacuated it in the night of the thirteenth of 
August. Saltonstall pushed his ships aground 
wherever he was able ; and they were burned. 
The sailors and soldiers took themselves t» 
flif^ht. Defeat was never more absolute.' 
A.i\ the inhabitants of Belfast found them- 
Sf'l .es left at the mercy of a conquering ene- 
my. The first care of the British was to en- 
large the fortress and render it more permj^- 
Denl, and add to the strength of the garrison. 

The inhabitants were tlien oiiered the priv- 
ilege of British pi'otection if they would merit 
it by an oath of allegiance and fidelity to the 
B iiish king. The proposition filled them 
W'h disgust. The spirit of freedom which 
ha J for so many generations warmed the 
blr^od of their ancestors was theirs by inheri- 
tance ; and the prefer was rejected, and such 
intrepidity left them no choice ; to the last 
Diin they abandoned th r homes, leaving 
thi'ir flocks in the pastures and the corn in the 
fii'Uis ready for harvest. Not one remained 
to' tell a passing stranger the cause of the en- 
tire desolation that ensued. 



HiSTORV OP BPJPAf^T. 43 

T4ie war lilied tfie couiifrj with m'^rniiders, 
Tvh » in small paities visited the coast in -.';;trck 
oi* !)knK]er. A clan of these freebooters la>id- 
e I on the eastern shore of the town, near 
IMoc/se Pcint, wfiere it happened they were 
me I by some patriots. Tijey attempted to 
m-<\;:e a prisoner of Richard Stimson and were 
resisted. One of the marauders was killed^ 
but Stimson escaped. On the next day a boat 
came from the fort on the peninsula,* and bur- 



* In the progress of the revolution, General Wads- 
Worth and Major Barton were taken prisoners in Ksrt 
Gea^c and carried to Castine. They broke from the 
fort s')on alter they were confined, and by wadiiig to 
fc»> tiieir mouths for half a mile through the tide t:.ey 
elu'i- d tiie guard and effected an escape. By a canoe 
they crosKsed the Penobscot at Prospect, and by a .:ir- 
cuit through the deepest woodlands they arrived 
finally af. Belfast, exhausted. At this time the vliiler 
fa;iitl> had returned. Miller was their friend, hut 
the; dared not accept his hospitality at his house.— 
His sons James and Robert, weut into the depths ofthe 
forest, a mile from any settlement, erected a hut and 
covered it with the houghs ofthe fir tree, made a bed 
of evergreens, and carried blankets to it, and food tor 
the iomates ; and tfiere these patriots were thus hid 
and thus jcd, until ine sharpness ofthe search for them 
wa> done, when with a pocket ompa^s and provisions 
to hel,> them on, they pursued their course across tiw. 
"country and arrived at a post of safety. 



44 I'HSTORY OP BELFAST.-. 

Hed the house and barn of Samuel Houston, on 
the ground where his son, Joseph HoMston^ , 
aow resides. 

After the peace many of the first settlers 
returned, and ilie town began to attract |,ab-» 
lie a^ticntion. Nevv-Englasid, as yet^ was not 
populous and new 6ettier.icnls made progress 
biit sh:)wly. It was not belbrc March, 1785, 
that population had so much increased as to 
need municipal restraint and directions. Jon- 
atiian Buck, Esq. of Buckstown, was then au- 
thorized to issue a warrant fur tlm inhabitai-ts 
to assemble and choose whom they woiiid 
have -to serve them as municipal oilicers. 

At this point of time may be dated the per- 
manent settlement of- Belfast. And here a 
topographical notice of the subject may be 
taken. In this immediate region the v, ori: of 
creation was prosecuted on the sublimest 
scale. 

The town is situate in latitude 44 deg. 25m. 
30 sec. on. the west angle of the bay of Pen- 
obscot, where the river Pasagasawakeag 
Gomes into the b^y. By this river the ovvij 
is nearly equally divided. The bay makuig;^ 



HISTORY OF BFXFAST. 45 

round .Wliite Head, its southern angle, comes 
up forty miles into the country to meet the 
river at the town, and their confluence there 
forms a harbour not excelled in the world 
The British navy might float in it commodi- 
©usly. The town extends two miles on the 
west and four miles on the east side of th'm 
harbour, and Long Island and Sears' Island 
guard it at the entrance. On the we^t side 
and at the head of this harbour the villatje of 
Belfast is built. The bay embosoms other 
islands of sufficient territory for townships^, 
and some of them are now to be numbered a- 
mong the most flourishing corporations in the 
eounty. The siiores of Belfast may be cal- 
led beautiful. When the tide is out there is 
no extensive flat to disgust the eye; and the 
land on cither side of the harbour or river 
rises gradually and easily for a great distance 
from the water. Thus the prospect is made 
extensive. A finer site for buildinir alaree 
Qity could not be desired. Vessels go but 
three miles above the town, where they have 
a, water of eight feet,- 



<i^ 'Hi&TORY OP BELPAST.- 

Goose river, a small stream coming ioio 
the harbour on the east, wiiii the surplus 
water of a large pond of the same name, is 
worthy of notice on account of the numerous 
opportunities it alTords of^applying water pow- 
er to useful purposes. A large number of 
mills are already built upon it, and other 
privileges are still open. 

Tile Penobscot river comes into tlie baj 
at the north angle, twelve miles from Belfast 
harbour. This noble river, for thirty miles 
in a direction nearly north, has a water sufli- 
oient for the safe navigation of ships of the 
]ine.> Frisi^ates have visited Bano^or. Larg^e 
boats and rafts find a sufficient v^'ater an hun- 
dred miles higher. 

The choice arable lands in Maine it is 
known are not on the Atlantic border; bui 
of all the lands, upon the tide waters of New- 
England, it is not known that any arc to be 
prelered to the shores of the Penobscot. 

It requires the time of one life to remove 
the trees of a forest, and prepare the earlh 
for cultivation. The age of Belfast therefore 
precludes the posibility of great advancement 



HJSTORY OF BFLFAST. 4f7 

liaving been made in ngricultore. Yet the 
town coniprehends many good farms; and the 
farmer of New-England, of all men, is the 
most happy ; his comforts are mingled with no 
anxiety, the continuance of them does not de- 
pend on a virilance, both painful and unweari- 
ed. 

The soil and climate are suited to thft 
growth of wheat, barley, oats and rye ; the 
potatoe is raised in abundance and of a fine 
quality ; and is an essentual article of food in 
almost every family. 

In some seasons indian corn growls to great 
perfection, but is not a safe crop on the banks 
of the Penobscot. Grass is easily raised^ 
consequently it is easy to make good butter 
and pork and beef ; lambs in July are large 
and fat ; stall fed mutton is excellent ; wool 
is plenty : and hay is one article of export. 

The cultivation of i'ruit has been by many 
aeglected. In some instances apple orchards 
were set as soon as the ground was cleared of 
the forest ; these now alford cider. In other 
cases where the work was commenced a sue- 
.cession of unpropitious summers discouraged 



48 HISTORY OF belfa&ij:. 

the !:>larjtors entirely ; aiul in truth ]8H3* was 
n ? ; J latal hj (^very thing vegetable that 
c- lid be destroyed by frdst. Since that yea^r 
i\n' farmer has been more flattered by the 
s^^asons, and orchards now receive a very gen- 
era] and skilful attention. Currants are grown 
in great plenty. And so are cherries, and all 
the small stone fruii. But the peach, it is at 
present considered, cannot survive a Penob- 
scot winter. The town has been greatly neg- 
ligent in planting ornamental trees; and the 
performance of this pleasant duty in individual 
insrances, only shows how much has been lost 
\y the general inexcusable omission. 

The citizens, in building their houses, have 
not like the citizens of some commercial villa- 
ges, consulted their taste and their fancy, but 
have confined themselves to more economical 
Tiews. The places of princij)a} business are 
built of brick. The dwelling houses more 
g^enerally are of wood. There is a prevail- 

*^pple trees did not blossom till late in June ofthi^ 
yeas On the ttDth <!i that nioiita ftU' w ^eii with the 
wind at N. V\ , anc isc tr st was quite severe. StiiT 
f^e crops of wheat were aever better. 



HISTORY OF BELFAST. 49 

hi^ appearance of neatness and durability. — 
Tlie streefs in some instances are injudicious- 
ly located ; but the general wish to repair the 
inconvenience is daily correcting the evib— 
Church-street may be mentioned as a street 
well built, extending more than half a mile 
in a direct line, being four rods wide, and ter- 
minating at the south on a public square of 
four acres, the site of the academy. It may 
be called a handsome street. 

On the west side of church-street, near 
midway of its length, in an open space of near 
three acres inclusive of adjacent streets, stand 
the new Church and the Town Hall, large 
and well finished buildings; the last is con- 
structed of brick. The courts of the county 
of Waldo are held in the hall; and the counr 
ty offices also are there kept. 

The whole number of houses and stores in 
ihe town is four hundred and fifty. The first 
house of two floors erected in the town, is the 
Rev. Wm. Frothingham's : and the first house 
erected on Main-street was built in 1795, by 
Doctor John Osborn, it was raised upon the 
ground now covered by the Eagle Hotel. 



Ot) HISTORY OF BELFAST. 

James Nesmlth commenced the business of a 
merchant at Nesmith's corner in 1799; and 
his was the first shop in the village. The east 
bridge tlirovrn over the river at the village is 
122 rods in length ; it rests on framed woodea 
piers,and was erected at an expense of g 18,484. 
It was built in 1806. A mile above this bridge 
one was built in 1801 at an expense of §6000; 
the last has been rebuilt. Nine commo- 
dious wharves are built for the uses of com- 
merce. Boards and cord-wood, shingles and 
timber cut to dimentions, are among the at"ti- 
cles of export. Ship-building is becoming an ex- 
tensive employment. In 1818, the town Avas 
made a portofentrj for an extensive district. 
But Belfast had no more than a name in 
the hey-day of New England's peculiar com- 
mercial prosperiti^ From the close of the 
revolution to the close of the commercial war- 
fare afterwards waged in Europe, it contained 
a small population. Two hundred and forty- 
five was the census of 1790 ; and in 1800, the 
number had increased only to 674 ; and the 
season of great profits was now rapidly coming 
to a close. No part of the wealth therefore 



HISTORY OF BELFAST.. 5^ 

wliich, in so many instances, diirini;; that extra- 
ordinary period Avas ibrtuitoitsly acquired, 
came to Belfast. And the town also is with- 
out some of the evils, which a sudden inilux 
©f properly, that comes witliout judgment or 
labour, and before expectation, is calculated 
to create. — Economv as a characteristic of 
tliC people, is therefore, to be expected as tho 
necessary result cf moderate earniijgs. 

In 1810 the number of inhabitants was 
12.50, and in 1820, two thousand and twenty 
six. Tiie population is rapidly increasing, as 
well as the employment of tiie useful classes.* 



* The village affords, 

Ai)othecaries 3 Booksellers 2 Bookbinder 1 

: — Butchers 3 Brick-ip.asons 6 — Brick-makers 2 — 

Block-maker. 1^ — Barbers '2 — Clock-makers 2 — Cloth- 
iers 2 — -Cabinet-makers 3 — Ciiair-maker 1 — Counsel- 
lors and Attorneys at law 10 — Candle Chandler 1 — 
Grocers 8 — ^^Housewrights 11 — House-carpenters 4 — 
lun-hoiders 5 — Jeweller 1 — Milliners 5 — Meat shop- 
men 2 — Meat cariinan I — Milk cartman 1 — Ministers 
resident 3 — Merchants 42 — Printers 2 — Painters 2 — 
Phrsicians and Surgeons 6 — Smiths 8 — Saddle and 
Harness makers 3 — Shoe-makers 10 — Sheriff's ofK- 
cers 3 — Shipmasters 7 — Ship carpenters lo — Sail ma- 
ker 1 — School teachers 3— Tailors 3 — Tanners and 
Curriers 3 — Truckmen 2 — Whariinojcrs 7 — Wheel- 



52 HJSTORY OP BELFAST, 

The civil history of the corporation is sooy 
recited. In 1803 the town for the first time 
■\vas actually represented in the state legis- 
.lature.^ 

It has since been the privilege of the towa 
to furnish threet senators of s+ate, and twice 
a representativet in the congress of the Uni- 
ted States. The judge|| of probate ; a former^ 
and the present county solicitor** ; a former 
-chief judgett of common pleas ; and a former 
chief justice of sessions. Jj; 

Mitchell had been appointed to a captain- 
cy in militia before the commencement of the 
revolution. He declined exercising any au^ 
thority under the king, after the war began, 
and no company was organized in Belfast un-. 
til the colony oi'Massacliusotts under the dec-» 
laration of Independence had formed a con- 
stitution, for their own government. Samuel 

Wright I. The number of inhabitants is hnv estima- 
Ired at 3000. 

* Deacon Tufts in 1778 did not take his sCat, Ifi 
1803 Jonathan V/ilson was tiie member. 

t Wm. Crosby, Eben. Poor and John S. Kimball. 

t John Wilson, jl Alfred Johnson, Jr. 

^Wm. Crosby. ** Jose h U'iljiamsonf- 

^-JWm. Crosby, it John Merriam. 



mSTORY OP BKLPAST. 5*3 

Houston was Mltdieirs 5MCcessor in the office, 
and Tolford Durham, and Benjamin Ne^^mith 
were liis subalterns. Durham* had cliarge 
of the company at Castioe under Lovcll in 
1779. 

Samuel Houston, Jr. who had served during 
the war in Wrishint>:ton's o-uard. succeeded his 
fatlier in the command of the Belfast militia. 
In 1803, a company of artillery was formed, 
and the year following a company of light 
horse, and in 1822 a company of light infant- 
ry. These, with two infantry companies 
eompose tlie miiitaryt strength of the town. 

Preparatory to the war 1812, a small fort 
had been erected at Castine, and in 1814 was 
defended by a lieutenant and a part of one 



* Lieutenant Durham is in his eighty-second year, 
enjoys good health, and all the nativo energies of his 
mnid. lie ;)eaks of the conduct of Lovell with great 
animation ; and refuses to accord to him hoth the mer- 
it o; a good officer and of a true patriot. The General's 
management, in the mind of Mr. Durham, stands di- 
rectly opposed to the one, or the other. 

"I" Present commanders, Paul Richard Hazeltine, 
artilery , David Giliman Ames,' horse ; Joel Mills, 
light infantry ; Jonatiiavi T )vie Quimby, 1st infantry ^ 
Bc^njamin Houston, id infantry. 
5* 



54 HlfS'TOT^Y OP BT^TFASi. 

rep:ij!ar company. On the nrst of September 
in that year, Gen. Piikino'ton^ from the Halifax 
station, after reducins: Eai=tport and Macbias, 
arrived in the Bay of Penobscot, and fii.iding 
no force to resist him, possession of the fort 
at Castine was immediately taken; and on the 
frllowing day a detachment of about seven 
bui.flred men were hmded at Belfast, under, 
th^^ immediate protection of a frigate and two 
&]• ;,!3S of war. The regular American trc(-ps 
hrid all left the district for the frontier of 
C jiada ; and Pilkin^ton's strength w^as not to 
be resisted by the few companies of militia 
that could be brought into action. The ene- 
my shew the utmost respect for the persons 
and property of the citizens ; and after four 
days returned to Castine. 

Schools for the education of youth, have 
been Postered by the town from the begimiing 
with that solicitude so common for that in- 
terest throughout New England. Fourteen 
district schools are maint Led. each a portion 
©fiheyear, and in the village a number of 

*Bissett's England; 3d, 'iSS. 



HIST CRY OF BRT.PASm. bif 

sXibscription schools are cor^stantly open. The 

aumber of cbildrcrj between 4 ami 21 years of 

age, which by the. law of the State are wmde 

the objects of instruction, in 1826 was 11 83? 

ah a| I ears en the town record. Tlje number 

actLiall} scijooled may be estimated to exceed 

one thcusarid. And during the suin;i\er 

moiiihs one hundred at least of those under 

ioui years ol age ei-joy tlie privilege) ol | ub- 

lic instruction. Two Sabbath schools have 

been, kept, in summer, for some years past ,; 

and with that happy success which so sensibly 

gratilies the friends of rehgion and virtue. 

Ij; the last year, a society called *' The In- 
fant School Society," was established. The 
foil owing extracts from the constitution will 
discover the objects oi the institution. 

" The object of this society shall be to es- 
tablish and constantly maintain in this village, 
a sciiool on the monitorial system of instruc- 
tion, i'or children, principally between the ag- 
es of 3 and 7 years." " It shall be one of the 
d-'ies of this society, and one not to be over- 
!(>'-: ed, to furnish instruction gratis, to all chil- 
dren whose parents are unable to pay tuition; 



3tf MISfORY OP BELFAST, 

iDid to see that they avail themselves of the 
privile':>;e thus afforded them." " It shall not 
be necessary in order to become a member to 
render any pecuniarj aid to the society." 

This society with a zeal suited to the lib^ 
erality of the principles disclosed in their con- 
stitution immediately put in operation the 
school they had designed. They procured 
an able instructor, and upwards of one hun- 
dred pupils were immediately collected and 
th • success oi* the school surpasses the expec-* 
la-ons of its w^armest friends.^- 

Sixteen years since, the munificence of indi-» 
dividual inhabitants, caused an edifice to be 
erected suitable for a public Academy. Tliey 
were mcorporated as a body of trust, and 
eighteen square miles of land in the county 

* The officers of the Infant School Society, are, 

David Whittier, Chairman. 

William Poor, Clerk. 

Daniel Lane, Treasurer and Collector. 

Phiiip Morrill, 



Peter Osorood, 
Th-mas Marshall, 
Willi') 11 A. Drew, 
"Wiiliam Barnes^ 



Standing Committee. 



HISTORY OP BELFAST. 5*7 

of Washington, granted to them as an en* 
dovvment. The trustees* liave not met all 
the encouragement they could hiave desired; 
but the institution has been useful and prom- 
ises to be greatly so. . 

The present preceptor, with the approba- 
tion of the trustees, has adopted in part, the 
monitonal system of instruction. The num- 
ber of pupils at present is upwards of eighty. 
The building was not located entirely to pub- 
lic, satisfaction. To some it seemed remote 
fi cm the village. The opening of new streets 
has in a great measure removed this objection, 
and the luture usefulness of the institution 
will unquestionably reward the elTorts of its 
friends. 

One place is, for natural causes, considered 
more healthy than, some other j)laces. No 
opinion of Belfast here can be olFered ; and 
any opinion upon the subject is valuable, only 

* The statute board of trust, embraced George UI- 
mer, S. A. Whitney, Alfred Johnson, Pliineas Ash- 
mun, Bohan P. Field, Thomas Whittier, JasDes Nes- 
miHi, Nathan Kead, John Wilson, Jonathan Wilson, 
Thaddeus Hubbard, Oliver Mann, William Masons 
Mighil! Blood, and Caleb B. Hall. 



08 HiSTCRY OP EELFASa:. 

SO far as it Is formed upon facts which tinie 
alone developes. A young settlement *has no 
Gharacter established, in this respect. Bel- 
fast has grown to that importance which may 
make the point a subject of enquiry ; and it 
sheuld not be entirely overlooked. The cli- 
piate is to be estimated. Cold and heat, rain 
and sun, are very unequally distributed in 
the same latitude ; the average temperature 
of atmosphere in one place is not decisive of 
the degree of heat or cold in another place on 
the same parallel. Montpelier, Vermont, 
and Kingston, Upper Canada, experience a 
2:reater extreme of heat and cold than is suf- 
fered at Belfast. At the falls of St. Anthony, 
*n the Mississippi river, tlie heat and cold are 
both less in degree than tliey are at Belfast ; 
yet all these places are nearly in one line of 
latitude. It is liot so warfu or so cold, either, 
at Belfast, as report makes it in towns on the 
Kennebec river, nearly in the same latitude. 
Ten degrees of Farciiheit, below zero, is 
seldom known at Belfast, and eighty-six above? 
is the verv extreme of summer heat. If it 
have risen to ninety, accidental circumstanceii 



mSTOT^Y OF BELFAST. 59 

probably operated. The greatest beat is us- 
liaiiy before noon ; about meridian a light 
breeze in summer usually comes up on the bar 
from the south, and the lieat is allajed. 

In other places where the mercury is raised 
to one hundred, the heat of the day does not 
reach its maximum usually until three or four 
of the clock in the afternoon. There is less 
sun at Belfast than on the high lands twenty 
miles westward ; and fog and mist is more i've- 
quefit. But the fog comes from the bay, and 
so great a body of tide water may have a 
great agency in tempering the atmosphere 
about it. 

The township is principally opened to the 
the sun. The soil is a "blue clay mixed with 
loam and a coarse dark gravel. The quality 
of a soil by some, is most satisfactorily estima- 
ted, by noting the trees tliat grow upon it 
naturally. The maple, the birch, and the 
beech were the prevailing forest trees ; the 
spruce, the hemlock, and the pine were sparr 
ingly interspersed. 

The prevailing winds are from northwest 
■and from southwest. The formation of the 



60 HISTORY ©F BELFAST. 

riveic and bay favors these courses. Wfien 
the wind is up, ice does not make in the bay, 
however cold the atmosphel^e may be ; but in 
extreme cold, attended by the accidents oi' a 
calm and a snow, which are seldom united, ice 
has been made in the bay so that persons have 
passed on foot, over a reach of twelve miles. 
The first instance was in the memorable win* 
ter of 1780, and the other in the winter of 
1815. Rains in winter have been frequent im 
late-years; snow necessarily fails less frequent- 
ly, and is often followed closely by rain. The 
changes from cold to heat and the reverse, 
are sudden and great, especially in the spring 
season. For Dec. 1826, and January and Feb- 
ruary 1827, the greatest depression of the 
mercury in a northern exposure, protected 
from the wind, was nine below zero; and the 
greatest elevation, in the same time and same 
position, was thirty-six above. The greatest 
variation in one full day was twenty-four der 
gree*. So much for the data on which to es- 
timate climate, and the probabilities of health- 
Some other facts may be added from experi- 
ence. 



HISTORY OF BKLFAST. 61 

Persons born in Belfast cannot be old, the 
town is not old ; but many persons who were 
early sett'ers have hved to a a^reat age. — 
Twenty-three persons have died in this town 
of a great age.* 

*The names of these persons, their respective ages 
and the years of their deaths, are seen in the following 
table. 

" In their manners they exhibited a model of perfect 
plainness and simplicity, indicative ofcontentment and 
a. cheertul disposition ; and so cordial was their re- 
ception of those who visited them, that with truth it 
might be said, they were given to hospitality. Their 
de^c^'ndants read the poems o^ Barns' with a keen rel- 
ish, and are enthusiastic admirers ofthe Scotish bard>'^ 
— Z>r. MboVs Ms. 

1794 James Miller, aged 82 yeairs. 

1795 John Steele, 84. 

1797 William McLaughlin, 90, 

1800 Margaret Cochran, 85. 

1802 John Tufts, 78. 

** Grissel Jameson, 96. 

1807 Solon Stevenson, 73. 

1810 Mary Brown, 80. 

1812 James Gordon, 86. 

1815 William Lowney,* 76. 

1817 Patrick Gilbert, 78. 

<' John Brown, 86. 

1819 Samuel Hrmston, 92. 

1820 Jerome Stevenson, 82.'* 
182» EiizMbeth Jones, 84. 

*Mr. Lowney was graduated atDubim College. 

6 



62 HISTORY OF BELFAST. 

Thirteen persons* are now living in Belfast, 
whose average af-e is eight j-t wo years seven 
months and eleven dajs. 

But our work is not finished. In 1802, 
when the population of the town did not ex- 



* Their respective nDmes and ages follow , 
Samuel CunningliarrrSS years old; Wm. Cunning- 
liam, 86 ; Robert Patterson, 85 ; Jane Patterson, 77 : 
John Cochran, 78, the surviving original proprietor ; 
Sarah West, 80 ; John Burgess, 92 ; Nathaniel Stan- 
ley, 82 ; Alexander Clark, 81 ; Elisha Clark,81 ; Tol- 
ford Durham, 81 ; Annis Cochran, 80 ; Elizabeth 
Campbell, 82. 



1821 Laughlin M'Donald,* aged 110 years. 

1822 George Cochran, 85. 
i823 John Durham, 74. 
1824 James Patterson, 8q. 

" Jonathan Clark, 78. 

" Susan Sturtevant, 84. 

1826 Nathaniel Patterson, 79 

** Agnes Robinson, 89. 

* McDonald was born in Scotland, and entered the 
army while a boy ; his age is not positively ascetain- 
ed. He remembered to have seen the Duke oi' Marl- 
borough who died ninety-nine years belore nim ; he 
came to America in General Wolfe's army in '759, 
and after Qaebeck was reduced, came to Bucksport, 
and from thence to Belfast. The lowest estimate of 
his age, made by his relatives, has been taken. 



HISTCUY OP BELFAST, 6^, 

ceecl eight hundred, there happened forty-one 
deaths. In 1824, fifty-seven persons died in 
the town, and the population was then esti- 
mated at twenty-five hundred. In 1825, sev- 
cuty-six deatiis occurcd; and for these reas- 
ons these years are memorable. In 1802, (he 
fever in'jnting in nicascls, destroyed chi^idren 
gericraiiy, hut the exact number of their 
deaths is not knowu. 

In 1824 and 1825, a flux and ieyer with 
measels prevailed; in J826 the alarm had not 
6u;)sided, but the deaths we!'e only fifty. — 
Children suiFered 28 of the deaths of 1824, 
and 45 of the deatiis of 1825. Philosopiij 
wiH make her deductions. 

The commerce of the town is at present 
eoraparativeiy inconsiderable. Heretofore 
there has been too geiierally entertained, an 
aversion to foreign adventure. The coasting 
trade has not been at any time retrograde, 
and perhaps the same may be said of the 
commerce called foreign; but all branches of- 
raaiitime concern liave ic\t the fluctuations 
th.it have been common to the whole coun- 
try. Mr. iifadbuiy, of the Custom House, jm- 



G4 HISTORY OF BELFAST. 

forms, that in 1825 " twenty-five vessels, most- 
ly brigs, loaded at the port ol' BeUV.trt, ior 
foreign ports, nearly all furtiie West India [s- 
lands ; their tonnage anK^unted to three tlicus- 
and seven hundred and iorty. Their cargoes 
were generally the productions of the industry 
and soil of this and the neighboring towns. 
The following were some of the principal ar^- 
ticies of export — 2,168,000 feet boards and 
scantling — 744,000 shingles — 63,000 staves — 
20,500 i'cet of oars — 3,390 sugar box shooks 
— 1,736 hhd. shooks — 295 spars — 478 boxes 
^^oap — 160 bbls. pickled fish — 46 hhds. and 
480 boxes dried cod-fish — 261 bbls. potatoes 
— 150 boxes candles, See. valued at twenty-si^j; 
thousand dollars." 

Of the coasting interest, no custom-house 
record is to be had. James iVicCriiiis, 
Esq. has had charge of the east bridge for 
fi\e years last in succession. By his books 
he discloses, that an average of two hundred 
ve-sels pass through the draw in each year 
Merchants in the village may disagree in judg- 
meiii, but a quarter of the vessels clearing 
coastwise from the town, it is believed do qol 



HISTORY OF BFXFAST. G5 

pass above the bridge. If then eight hun- 
dred Ccirgoes coastwise in a year are now ex- 
ported, the trade of the town is not behind 
the trade of the neighboring villages. 

The first inhabitants of Belfast were chris- 
tians of a straight i-ect. They were born and 
nurtured in the faith and pious forms and 
ceremonies, their fathers, from James 1st had 
received and cherished. Not more peri'ect 
however tJian the " pilgrims" as they increas- 
ed in numbers and the means of leisure and en- 
joyment, they became involved in religious 
feuds. 

In the broken traces of their proceedings 
leading to the purchase of the township, it is 
to be discoverved that tliey kept a steady eye 
upon the object of a distinct provision for iUe 
ci lurch. Their solicitude was so ap|>arent, and 
seemed so commendable, to the grantors them-. 
selves, that they included in the grant one 
hundred and fifty acres, above the cjuantity 
purchased, " for the use of tlie ministry/'^ la 
the iirst summer of their coming to their es^ 

* Chadwick's minutes. 



66 ' HLStORY OF BELPASiT-. 

tateR,and when no more than five families had 
arrived, Mr. Murray, then of Boothbaj, was 
induced to make them a visit, and in the lan- 
guage of the time, give them a sabbath, and ad- 
minister to them the consolations of his office. 
In each succeeding year, to the time of their 
dispersion by the British army, this little flock 
made liberal provision for religious instruc- 
tion. If teachers were not always had, no 
eifort was spared on the part of the society to 
obtain them. Nevertheless all was not per- 
fect. Some members it seems were not con- 
fc: lived to duty in some things. To the more 
c: r.ljous and heedful this made occasion ior 
olloi'ices ; and in Oct. 1775, the attention of 
the whole corporation is called to the subject 
of the observance of the sabbath, in an ar- 
tic '; annexed to a warrant for holding a 
tt M meeting; and a vote was taken, and 
is corded, that whoever shall make an un- 
necessary visit on the sabbath, shall be 
heid in contempt by the people until attone- 
mtJit shall be made by a public cunle^s < n. 
Wijen the peace of seventeen liUD(*rc«i eigh- 
ty three permitted them to return to their 



Hi?»TORY OP BELFAST. 67 

homes they brought with them the same 
warm zeal for the cfiureh. Not now consent 
with liberal appropriations for the support of 
the gospel, in 1789 a vigorous attempt was 
marie to erect a house for public worship. 

Those, and all thoso, then westward of the 
rive)-, although a sm^!! minority were oppo- 
^Ci! to erecting a house on the eastern side 
of tho harbour ; and formally protested against 
it, tiie subject was posrponed. Three v,ear« 
alter wards a proposition for each secti. n to^ 
build a house for themselves, without charsfe 
totl-c other, met With no opposition. 

The house now to be seen on the east side 
of the river, was accordin^i;!) built,and also that 
house now so commudiously repaired, arui by 
the Bartist society occupiad in the vihar^e. 
The Baptists purchased the house in IJ^.22, 
and removed it to the place where it iivw 
fitar(;.s. . 

U'-til 1796, the man, among the many per- 
sons, who had appeared as candidates, w =<.in 
the citizens prefered as a religious guide had 
n(;t Lc on found. In this year the Kev, Eben- 
ezer Price conciliated the esteem oi a major- 



6^ HISTORY OF BELPAS5r*j 

ity, and against the remonstrance of 24 mcDi- 
bers of the society, who represented in a for- 
mal manner their objections, pledging them- 
selves to each other and to the town to with- 
hold all aid to his support, and to resist to the 
last any tax that might be assessed, for the 
accomplishment and maintainance of the ob- 
ject, Mr. Price was ordained. 

In the followino^ year twenty of those non- 
conlents remonstrated with the majority of 
the town against the vote, to confirm the title 
of Mr. Price to the lot of land before appro- 
priated to the first settled minister. . Tliis re- 
monstrance being disregarded served no other 
purpose than to embitter the sentiments of 
an opposition already exasperated. The mi- 
nority did not permit themselves to slumber. 
Solun Stevenson a man, memorable for his sin- 
cerity of heart, sound judgment and constancy 
of purpose, and twenty two others with him^ 
carried the subject before the Legislature, 
and as a relief, they pray to be incorporated 
as a separate religious society. Here also the 
lj-ien(is of lvI-'. P ice piocured a majority, Aid 
ihe prayer of the petitioners was reiMsed to 



HISTORY OF BELFAST. 69^ 

be granted. Tlie opposition remained undis- 
mayed. New subjects ol' complaint were 
found, true or false, and old ones urged v*uh 
new zeal ; so that in April 1801, the town 
voted to withhold from Mr. Price his salary, 
and also that as a teacher of religion, they had 
for liini no further employment. 

In May 1802 the civil contract between Mr. 
Price and the town was closed by a compro- 
mise. And Mr. Price received a liberal com- 
pensation for his labors. 

The town still continued to make annual 
appropriations of money for the support of 
religious instruction; and in 1805 the Rev. 
Alfred Jchlibon passed a season With thcili, 
at the close of which, the town, five mem- 
bers only dissenting, offered Mr. Johnson a 
salary of 700 dollars per annum to become 
their minister. 

The invitation was accepted and Mr. John- 
son was duly installed. The strife of the 
church, for a season, was hushed. The town 
was- now mai.ing considerable acquisitions m 
^opuiatior?, bv emigration; j<mcngv»h<m ma- 
ny Baptists were to be found. So numerous 



X^ HISTORY OF BELFA3irv 

had that class of christians become bj 1809, 
11.3 1 it was deemed by them expedient to be. 
made a corporate bodj. This stirred the em- 
bers of the fire that had been covered since. 
i^ir. Price was dismissed. 

Some professed to beneye that rehgiouf-« 
instruction conid not be good if bought with 
monej ; and the town was now much indebt- 
ed to Mr. Johnson. Th.ose who should be- 
come Baptists, expected probably, to free 
themsclvrg from this inconvenience; and 
when interest and rehgieus impression coin- 
cide, there is not much doubt of per^^everance. 
Mr. Johnson in a leller to the assessors oii i\e 
fiith ol .January, 18(;9, exempted from aiij 
additional taxation, persons who should con- 
tinue to fiiltil their contract with him; assum- 
ing himself to sustain the loss of that portion 
of his salary which the seceders ])ad the; re- 
mained faithful, would haye been required to 
pay. Yet the Baptisr society increased daily, 
and in 1811 was incorporated. 

Mr. Jofuison's partial relinquishment of sal- 
ary was ri^t erth'r jy satisfacti ry, and in 1'^'12 
j^lr. Johuson rellnc^uished it entirely duiing 



JIISTORY OF BELFAST. 7\ 



the war with England then commenced. — - 
Two years later, Mr. Johnson dissolved his 
eonnection with the uarish. 

The population gI the village was increas- 
ing, and in 1818, it was thought a house of 
worship was wanted within it. 

Before the time novv spoken of, the Rey. 
Wm. Frothin^ham had been made acquainted 
%ith the parish. The attendance of the peo- 
ple at relio:ious exercises had become an agree- 
able Derf^rmance of duty. All were desir- 
ous to become interested in the erection of a 
building that should afford them a suitable 
accommodation. Under these commendable 
feelings the house on Church-street was bujlt. 
The work was orio-inated, prosecuted and fin- 
ished in great harmony, and is, and will be a 
strong bond of religious connection. On ihe 
15th of Nov. 1818, the house was openec^ 'iid 
dedicated; on the 21st day of the following 
July iVIr. Frothingham was installed. 

A majority of the early church, having 
found occasion of disagreement with Mr. 
F './J'nnt^ham, relative to certain subjects of 
christian faitn, refused their assistance at hii? 



72 HISTORY f>^ r>~LFAST. 

installation, and a new church w-is organized 

The early church resokitely naichfaiLcd 
their distinctions, and their countenance oi' 
M Frothingham being withheld, they contin- 
ued to be a society separate from the parish. 
This society has built a house for worship ; 
and have enjoyed the privileges of an ordained 
miriister; but are now without a pastor. 

The society of Baptists, has continued to 
prosper, and is at present supplied with a 
teacher, the Rev. Charles Hooper. 

The society of Methodists is also a large and 
devotional congregation ; have built for them- 
selves a house ; and in the manner prescribed 
by that denomination of christians, this branch 
of the great Methodist family, is continually 
supplied with instructers, who are anxious 
for the safety of man. 

The fifth and last religious association is 
that dentjminated Universalists. For two 
years past they were taught from scripture 
by Mr. Drew. They now have no teacher. 

Thus under the salutary influence of entire 
freef|.:rn of thought and opinion, in what if 
alone personal, five diiferent forms of christian 



HISTORY OF BELFAST. SS 

worship are seen to be peaceably and proiit- 
ahi • instituted in tbe bosom oi a little com- 
■mum'ty, composed of three thousand people» 



JOHN MITCHELL, 

John Mitchell did not return to Belfast, to 
become a resident, after the war of the reV" 
olution ; but as he was so greatly active and 
efficient in acquiring the grant, and effecting 
the first settlement of the town, its history 
requires that some notice of him should be 
taken. 

He was born in 1714, in the town of Lon- 
donderry, Ireland ; and, when his parents, 
who were of the Ulster emigrants to Lon* 
d)iiJerry, Newr-iiin.xhire, came to America, 
was five years of age. He served an appren- 
ticeship to a house Wright ; but he soon for- 
sook that eiiipioytiaent, and became a well 



74 HISTORY OP EELFAar. 

known practical surveyor, and a teacher 6i 
the hij^her branches of mathematlcks. 

Barnard, Governor of Massachusetts, ap- 
pointed him to superintend a survey of the 
Scoodic river, and the bay of Passamaquoddy. 
In 1764 and 1765 this service w^as performed 
to the entire satisfaction of the Governor, 
who, having heard Mitchell's report of the 
expedition, and of the inducements the country 
offered to emigrants, became greatly desir- 
ous of obtaining a grant of land south of that 
Lay and river; and Mitchell it appears, hni 
inspired Barnard with a confidence, which 
disposed him to make the former a partner 
in interest. 

It was on his passage from Boston to Scood- 
ic, that Mitchell put into Penobscot bay, and 
became informed of the natural advantages 
wnicii hose might -enjoy who would there 
establish a settlement. This knowledge he 
carried to his friends in Londonderry, New- 
Hampshire, and it has been seen, that his 
opinions were respected. But the settlement 
of Belfast was postponed to the prosecution 
of the scheme of Gov. Barnard. Many ob- 



rilSTORY OF BELFAST. 75 

stacles were found in the way of their sue- 
eebs. Since the charter of 1692 from the 
crown to Massachusetts, neither the crown, 
nor the general court of the colony, deemed 
themselves to be endowed with the requisUe 
powers separately to make a valid grant of 
land in Acadia; and a concurrent act of ces- 
sion, by the two authorities, at this period of 
feverish jealousy, was not to be expected. — 
It was therefore proposed to treat for a title 
with the province of Nova Scotia. A stipu- 
lation Avas accordingly entered into with that 
government for a tract of 100,000 acres, and 
Morris, the provincial surveyor, set off that 
quantity by measure, to Francis Barnard,* 
Thomas Pownall, John Mitchell, Thomas 
Thornton, and Richard Jackson. The Scoo- 
dic river northerly, and the Cobescook, or 
Denny's river, southerly, were made the boun- 
daries of the patent. At this time, Morris 
marked the Cobescook as the St. Croix, 
which circumstance, gave rise in all proba- 



* A copy of Morris^ map is in the pcssestion cf tii> 
author. 



76 HISTORY OF BELFAST. 

bllity, to the perplexity which afterwards at- 
tended the adjustment, by the EngHsh and 
American governments, of the eastern boun° 
dary of the States. 

When the war of the revolution opened, ng 
settlement, by the patentees, had been made 
within their territory ; and the treaty folio w- 
mg the peace, placed the grant within the 
State of Massachusetts; and, Mitchell being 
the only grantee remaining, neglected to ob- 
tain, or to attempt to obtain, from Massachu- 
setts, a confirmation of his title. 

In the mean time, as has been seen, how- 
ever, the purchase and settlement of Belfast 
had been effected. Mitchell was foremost in 
the enterprise; and with great cost of workmen 
and materials from Boston, built a saw mill 
on the Westcot brook, before a house had 
been erected in the town. To his manage- 
ment the proprietors entrusted their con» 
cerns ; and he kept the records after the 
town was incoiporated. Of his six sons, five 
1vent early into the war, in the service of the 
colonies ; four of them went, not to return. — 
Robert only, after the peace^ being released 



HISTORY OF BKTlFAST. 77 

from prison in Europe, where he had been 
for a long time confined, returned to his fami- 
ly. John first served with PdcNeal as a sail- 
ing master, afterwards witli Manly as lieuten- 
ant. George was a midshipman. Samuel 
and Joshua w^ere seamen. 

After the defeat suffered by Lovell, Mitch- 
ell lost no time in removing himself beyond 
the reach of British authority. In the night 
following that disaster, he put what of his ef- 
fects he was able so to manage, into a gondola, 
and with his family, and such others as chose 
to share his fortunes oato d down the bay to 
a cove in Thomaston ; where they landed, and 
crosed over the peninsula to fort George; 
and alterwards proceeded to New-Hampshire, 
where he resided until his death m 1801, 
His agie was eighty-seven years. 



!^- 



MISCELLANY; 



There is a general impression among the 
people, that the trade of the town^ has been 
in a decline, for the last two or three years^ 
Taking the fact as granted, they are at no 
loss to find a cause for this change, but i^ 
seems all have not charged it upon the same 
circumstances. 

One finds sufficient reason, for a diminution . 
in business, in the scarcity of monej^ ; and at- 
tributes this scarcity of circulating capital, to 
the management of the mcnied institutions of 
Boston. Another, says that trade is decaying 
in most other places in the Union, and that 
nothing but the universal peace that has been 
so happily maintained, for so long a time, could 
pr? rluce an etfect, at once, so uniform and ex-' 
tensive. The mass of retail trade in the 



S0*- HISTORY OP BELFAST. 

American sea ports, it is conceded, hasbeeft^,, 
much diminished, by the almost entire sus.- 
pension of commerce with England. But the 
town of Belfast has not, at any time, maintam- 
ed that intimate connection, with British com- 
merce ; nor been brought into that collision 
W'th the Boston Banks, that the suspension 
©f the one, or the rigid exactions of justice \n 
the other, could produce a general sensation. 
If trade be falling away, the accident is charg- 
able to other causes. 

Belfast is situate, in the midst of a country 
that has, continually, and steadily, though not 
ranidly, grown in population. The people col- 
lectively, from year to year have considerably 
increased the mass of means for their supi-ort- 
and their comfort ; and with this people, in- 
creasing in numbers, and improving in estate, 
the principal traffick of the town is main 'lin- 
ed. Neither the peace, nor the want of Brit- 
ish commerce, nor the Boston Bank manage- 
ment, supplies the necessities of these people; 
and still they are supplied— they are as v>ell 
fed, and better clothed than formerly. How 
then has .trade, in the aggregate, diminished^? 



mSTORY OF BELFAST, Si 

That trade has fallen into many more hands, 
than controled it in time past, is very true. 
And that many modern traders are neither 
serving themselves, nor the public beneficial- 
ly is true also ; but still it remains to be prov- 
ed that the amount of business is decreased. 

It is beheved, however, that the open trade 
of the country does not grow, in equal degree 
with the population. The experiment, which 
the Legislature has been trying, for the bene- 
fit of" poor debtors,'' has operated to put a 
portion of trade under €over. How the honest 
poor are ultimately to be affected by the ex- 
periment, can only be ascertained by the trial. 
They, at present, are utter ly without credit — 
for the reason that they are raised above all 
personal responsibility. The statutes, having 
placed it at their option, to pay, have done 
them the infinite mischief, of robbing them of 
of all their ambition to make an effort. 
These persons, deserving confidence, and 
who, under the policy of the past time, found 
it reposed in them, are now entirely excluded 
from the books of the professed trader. But 
in every neighborhood, some individual of 



^2 HISTORY OF BELFAST. 

credit for' money, is found ; and ono too, who 
is ready to stand between bis poor neigfbbot 
and bis necessities, u]^on stipulated terms. By 
pledo;ing his own credit, be procures for bis 
neio^hbor the supply of bis wants, at a price 
enhanced by an intermediate profit. Wheth- 
er this system will make slaves of the honest 
poor, the experiment alone' can test. That 
it will build up a few individuals in each town, 
with the sweat and the labor of the poor is 
already more than probable. Yet no one can 
doubt that the best interests of the poor were 
supposed to be consulted, in adopting the leg- 
islation, that leads to these results. 

A single glance at the i'uture may bere be 
admissible. In estimating the chances of 
Belfast to take precedence, at some future 
day, of the other towns upon the Penobscot, 
there is wide room for dilfcrence of opinion. 
The subject presents itself to diiferent persons 
in very diiferent aspects. Partiality insensi- 
bly operates with some, and the want of a 
knowledge of the whole ground, is a source of 
error in others. And none may presume to 
pronounce a tinal opinion without hcsitatieni 



History of Belfast. ^ 

It is doubted perhaps by no one, that some 
town on the Penobscot waters, by commod 
consent, will ere long become the principal 
mart upon tliese waters — Camden, Belfast, 
Prospect, Frankfort, and Bangor, have each 
had their pretentions to this distinction. We 
w ill consider them according to the informa- 
tion we have obtained, — after premising that 

two circumstance Stj must be kept in view-^a 
common centre and a good harbor. Camden 
has the advantage of being nearest to sea, but 
consequently is removed from the centre ; and 
the town environed by hills which forbid easy 
roads to reach it from the interior. The site 
of the town is a pleasant one ; the harbour is 
small, and not easy of access. Bangor has 

"claims ta great consideration. It stands at the 
head of summer navigation^ about fifty miles 
ab!>ve Camden. The river is safely navigated 
k) Bangor,and will shortly be settled to its sour- 
ces ; but the ice in the river suspends naviga- 
tion four months in the year, and time will pro^ 
duce as many clusters of houses and stores as 
there may be found mill seats on the river- 
Frankfort, at the head of winter havigatioi? 



84 HISTORY OF BELFASt- 

might be considered as the natural rival to 
Bihgor, but the map shows its location, in re- 
lation to the interior, to be unfavorable,calcula- 
ting that trade is to come principally from 
the north and the west, both Frankfort and 
Prosjject, are in some respect, insulated ; and 
the formation of the country makes the ap- 
proach to them any thing but easy and direct 
And if at no time the ice below Frankfort is 
impenetrable it is often found to be greatly 
embarrassing and injurious to navigation. — 
Belfast holds the intermediate ground among 
the aspirants. Within the knowledge of man, 
its harbour has been twice only seriously 
blockaded by ice, (1780, and 1815,) in that 
respect therefore it is greatly more elio^ible 
than the harbor of Portland or Boston, being at 
all times as accessible as either of them, and 
when entered, is found more commodious arid 
safe. In the discussion of this subject it is not 
refnembered, if the strongest argument in its 
supy)ort have ever been urged. Belfast is 
thi' fiatural seaport of the northern and wes- 
ter n Kennebeck ; and it is no strength of fan- 
cy to imagme that nature once thought of 



HISTORY OF BELFAST. 85 

bringing that river to the ocean at this place. 
From Winslow to Belfast the distance is twen- 
ty-eight miles over a champaigne country. 
It is more than two thirds the same distance 
from Winslow to Hallowell. Four months of 
the^ year, the diiTerence in the cost of trans- 
portation between Winslow and these towns 
would not be material. By taking an early, and 
emj;lojingalate hour, horses will perform the 
journey to Belfast and return the same day. 

But the difference in distance is more than 
compensated by difference in market. The 
one is open to the world ; from the other all 
competion is excluded by ice. This circum- 
staiice in winter operates as a tax of a whole 
tithe upon the armer who shall frequent the 
Hallowell market. But the winter is the 
farmers market season. He cannot wait for 
the ice to disappear that he may transport his 
products by boat to Hallowell ; when that 
time arrives he is employed in preparing to 
raise another crop. In fine, Belfast is forty 
miles up into the heart of a country as suita- 
ble for agriculture as any portion of New- 
England, and is the centre of Maine. With 
8 



86 mSTORY or BELFAST. 

ca{)ital and enterprize at any moment she may 
take the trade of the vale of the Kenriebeck 
with mutual profit. The remotest angle of 
the county of Somerset is nearer to Belfast 
than to Portland. And if by many the idea may 
bft reckoned amonsf the chimeras of the day — 
yet it must be admitted as possible that Bel- 
fast one day shall have become the largest 
town in the State. One thing is already cer- 
tain, (hat many circumstances, powerful as 
nature can make them, are now conspiring te 
bring to pass, if possible, that event. 



The County of Waldo, of which Belfast is 
thp court town, is constituted of twenty-three 
towns and two plantations. 

The following is a list of them, with the 
census of 1820 ; and also that of 1810, so far as 
it was taken is annexed. 

Towns, Census of IH20, Census I^IO. 

Belfast 2026 1274 

Belmont 713 

Brooks 318 —— 



HISTORY OF BELPASQC. 87 



iDurnham 
CaiiKJen 


202 
1825 


1607 


Ft-auvlort 


2127 


1493 


Frcjidom 


788 


— r 1— . 


Hope 


1179 


787 


Isic'sboro' 


639 


583 


Jackson 


37§ 




Knox 


560 




Lmcolnviile 


1294 


1013 


Liberty 


4G9 




Monroe 


630 




JVJonrville 


1266 


864 


]Norjh|jort' 


939 


7110 


Pulermo 


1056 


761 


Prospect 


1771 


1300 


Sears mont 


675 




Svvanville 


503 




Thurndike 


438 




Troy 


505 




Unity 


978 


793 


Appleton Plantation 


511 




Waldo «^ 


245 






82v/U2 11255 



I 



APPENDIX. 



[No. 1.] 

The author is indebted to his friend, George Wat- 
son, Esq. for the following accurate, and only perfect 
translation of the Patent to De Monts that has been 
made. Some of the language of the original, has be- 
come obsolete ; in other instances it is technical.— Mr. 
y» atson has overcome all these embarrassments, and 
whoever will compare this version with that published 
in London in 1654, can have no hesitation in determm- 
ing, to which ot them, the preference should be given. 

Letters Patent for the Sieur de Moqts, 
lieutenant-general of Acadia, and the ad- 
joining countries ; Novembers, 160.1. 

Henry, by the grace of God, king of 
France, and Navarre,— to our dear and well 
beloved the Sieur de Monts, gentleman m 
ordinary of our bed-chamber, greeting. 

As our greatest care and labor, smce our 
accession to this crown, is, and always has 
been, to maintain and preserve it in its ancient 
dignity, greatness, and splei dor : m tc ex. 
tend, aiid enlarge, as far as lawfu.i) may b^ 
*8 



99 



A*PE]^ft)1K. 



done, its "boundaries and limits : We, being 
•fa long time informed of the situation, and 
condition of the countries and territory of 
Acadia ; moved, above all things, by a pecu- 
liar zeal, and a devout and firm resolution, 
which we have taken, with the aid and as- 
sistance of God, the author, distributor, and 
protector of all kingdoms and states,-^to 
cause to be converted, brought over, and in- 
structed in Christianity, and in the belief and 
profession of our faith and religion, the 
peojile who inhabit that country, at present 
a barbarous race, — atheists, without faith 
or religion ; and to draw them from the ig- 
norance and infidelity in which they now are. 
Having also for a long time understood, by 
the reports of masters of vessels, pilots, 
me; chants, and others, who a long time i >o 
vis tei, frequented and tr .ded whh the p o- 
pi i of those, parts, how profitable, com n- 
lenr and useful would be to us, our states d 
9«')iects, the residei ce, possession and set- 
tlement of those places, by the great ami ap^ 
parent profit which rnay be drawn from th0' 
great frequency and connection with the 
people there ; and the trade and commerce, 
which by these means maj be safely en rtr<^d 
into, and carried on: ^Ve, for these causes 
iullj confiding in your great prudence, and in 



the knowledge and experience which you 
hw^/f^ of r-ie quality, condition, and situation 
of Acadia, — from the divers voyages, trav- 
els, and repeated visits which you have 
niide in those parts, and others near 
thf^reto, — assuring ourselves that this our 
resolution and intention being to you commit- 
ted, you will know how to execute it atten- 
tively, diligently, and not less courageously and 
valorously, and bring it to the perfection we 
desire ; — we have expressly appointed, and 
established, — and by these presents, sianed 
by our own hand, — ^we^do appoint^ ordain, 
make, constitute, and establish you our lieu- 
tenant-general to represent our person in -iie 
tv-.iritry, territory, coasts and confines of Aca- 
da: fern-: nng at the fortieth degree, to the 
f( : t -sixt!i degree \^>f north /atitifde] ; and with- 
in tile said extent, or part thereof, as far in- 
land as may be done, to establish, extend, v^nd 
c<aise to be made known, our name, nfJWvT, 
and authority ; and unto the same, to subject, 
cnf:se to submit, and to obey, all the people of 
the said land and parts adjacent and ^•v ''le 
means thereof, and by all other lawful v. 9 
aed meai:s, to call upon, instruct, urge ami <:\r 
cite them to the knowledge of God, and to t * e 
li^, ' id the faith, and the christi.^n i> 'i-- u.V ; 
-^to establish it there, — and in the exercits^ 



92 APPENBIX. 

arid profession thereof, to maintain, keep arid 
preserve the said people, and all others ifi'nrvb- 
itiVi^ the said places ; and in peace, repose, and 
tranquillity, to command there, as well by sea 
as by land; to ordain, decide, and cause to 
be executed all that you will judge necessa- 
ry, and be able to do, to maintain, keep, and 
preserve the said places under our power and 
auihoriTy, — by the forms, ways and means 
prescribed bj our ordinances; And to aid and 
assist you in the premises, — to appoint estab- 
lish and constitute all needful officer^, as v, e!l 
in concerns uf war, as of justice ^nd polic\, — 
m the first instance, — and Irom thence after- 
ward to be nominated hj you, and presented 
to us for our approbation and confirmation, — 
and to give such cummissions, titles and grants 
as may be necessary. 

And as circumstances may require yourself^ 
with the advice of prudent and capable m* n, 
to prescribe, under our good pleasure, la^AS, 
fttafutes and ordinances, (as conlbrmable to 
ours as may be) es| ecially in such matters and 
thinscs as are nut pi'ovided for by these |)re- 
gents ; — ^^elfectually to negotiate treaties of 
p» ace, ahirtoce and coidederation, good iriend-^ 
siup, correspondence and comm.unicalion with 
th< id . eo!/ie, and their [an ces, and « -hers 
having po^^er and comujand over tiiem^ — to 



APPENDIX. ^*^ 



uiaintain, Iccep, and care ully oh^erve the 
treaties and alliances xU .ci. y< u ■ 1», 1 enior 
into with them:^providc<i they do the .ame 
on their part ; and in default there* I to mal.e 
open war, to compel the.n, and b.n.g them 
bkck to such reason as you shall judge neces- 
sary, for the honor obedience and service ot 
Goa,-and tlse establishing, rnauita.i.ing an.d 
pn-erving our authority among them; at letjst 
tc. Visit and frequent there hy yourselt anc by 
all our subjects, in all safety hberiy inter- 
course a.id commurucatior. ; to negotiate and 
trade there amicably and peaceably; to give 
and grant them iavorsand pi ivileges, employ- 
ments and honors. 

VVhiclisaid entire authority, we will, ana 
wdam that you ha.e over all our said subjects,. 
and otiicr. who may go to inhabit, trade, ne- 
gotiate and reside in those parts ;— to hold, 
tale, reserve and appropriate to yourself 
what you may wish and iuid to be most suitable 
to your rank, quality and use ;-to parcel 
eutsuch parts and portions o the said lands^ 
to attribute to them such titles, honors, rights, 
authorities and taculties as you wil. see need- 
ful. according to the quality, condition aijd 
rv: nis of the persons of the country andotH. 
e -• i.oveal! tilings to people, cultivate aid 
cause to be settled the said lands, as speeauy^. 






cefullv and skill-,,!!. me, place, an^ oo«. 

to «.a>o,rr c:; to be mad.,, such dC^^y 
and knowledge c. ho extent of the se. coasts 
ami Oher con. .i. ,>f ^u M.„n land, a^T ^ 

and caielully find out. aU mines of i^old and 
s.<ver, copper and other „.e,a!s and minerals; 
to cause them to be wrought, purified and ve- 
-iined,to be converted info use; and (as ue 
have prescnlKd by ,he edicts and reguiatio, s 
wl.,<h we have made in our kingdom) to dis- 
p.e of the profits and emoluments {hereof 
bj yourseli, or bj those you shall authorize 
hi J„s purpose ; only reserving to us the 
ten.hpart oi the proceeds of the gold, silver 
and copper; taking to yourself our^portion of 
he other raefals and minerals, towards re- 
lievmgyouinthe great expences which tlie 
. above said charge will occasion you. 

In the mean time desiring your safety and 
convenience, and that of all those of oj sub- 
jec s who shall go to inhabit and trade in the 
sa-, places, as, also, generally all others who 
shall place themselves there under our po vcr 
a?)d autuonfy,— ive authorize you to bqiW 



APPENDIX. ^^ 



and to construct cue, or more forts, fortified 
plices cities aud all other houses, d we 'Lao-s 
and habitarions, ports havfus, retiring places 
and quarters, as you shall judge |3ro per, useful 
and necessary in the execution oi the sai '. en- 
terprize ; to establish garrisons, and soldiers td 

keep them. , , . iv ^ 

And to enable you to do this more e.iectu- 

ally, vou may take with you and employ tae 
va-rant, idle and dissolute persons, as well 
from the cities as from the country,— and als» 
those condemned to perpetual banisnment, or 
for three years at least, beyond our realm ^— 
provided this be done by the advice, consent 
and authority of our officers. 

Besides the before mentioned (and what is 
otherwise prescribed and ordered by the com- 
missions and authorities given you by our dear 
cousin the Sieur Damville,^ adiiural of France, 
in what relates to the charge of the admiral, 
ty in the achievement, expedition and execu- 
tion of the abov^e said things) to do generally 
for the conquest, peopling, settlement and 

*In the French copy, in Hazard'sCollection of State 
papers it is S'lmr D'Anville—Sind in other copies ^m- 
puiJIe ; both which appear to he erroneous, as Charles 
Montmorenci Due de DatoviUe, was, at that tune, Ad-= 
ri»ir.l of France. TramlaHr^ 



96 APPENDIX. 

preservation of the said land of Acadia, the 
circumjacent ttjrritories, their appertenanc'es 
and dependancies under our name andautijor- 
ity, as we ourselves could do if we were there 
present in person, even in cases requirino^ m -re 
spec al direction than we have <>;iven in tl.ese 
presents; — To the contents of which we com- 
mand, order and very expressly enjoin all our 
juJfifes, officers and subjects to conform them- 
selves, to ohey you, and Q^\ve attention to ^'^u 
in c)]l and each of the abovesaid things, their 
circumstances and dependancies. Also to af- 
ford you in the execution thereof all (he com- 
fort, aid and assistance of which you niaf 
have need and be by you required,— ill 
under the pain and penalty of rebellion and 
disobedience. 

And in order that no person may pretend 
ignorance of tins our intention ai:.d thereby 
wish to interfere in whole, or in part with the 
charge, dignity and authority which we have 
given you by these presents; we have, of our 
certain knowledge, full power and royal 
authority, revoked, suppressed and declared 
null and of no eifect, hereafter and from the 
present time, — all other powers and commis- 
sions, letters and dispatches given and deliver- 
ed to ahv |:'^r-n")n wliomsoever to discover, 
and inhabit within the above said limits of the 



APFBNDIX. 97 

people aforesaid lands, situated between the 
said turtle th '\'Ti forty-sixth degree, whatsoev- 
er they may be. 

iVJ/ieover, we direct and order all our said 
officers of whatever quality or condition thej 
may be, — that these presents, (or the certifi- 
cation thereof duly made by one of our belov- 
and faithful counsellors, notaries and secreta- 
ries, — or by other royal Notary,) the3% the 
said officers, at your request, application or 
suit, or that of our attomies, — cause to be read, 
published and registered in the reo^isters of 
their respective jurisdictions, authorities and 
districts ; preventing as much as belongs to 
them to do. all trouble and hindrance contrary 
hereunto ; for such is our pleasure. Given 
at Fantainbleu, the eighth day of November, 
in the jenr of our Lord one thousand, six hun- 
dred and tliree, — and of our reign the fifteenths 
[Signed] HENRY, 

By the King — Potier. 



Note. This peculiar and interesting document was 
;6rst piiblished in F'.xrU in 1693, in the Histoire de Neu- 
velle France, by Mi.-o Lescarbot ; and the English 
translation, by Erondeiles, was published in London 
in 1654. 

9 



9S APPRNDLX. 

[No. 2.] 

To all to whom these pfesentes shall come 
gteetlni^e Kiiowe yce that the coui-sell es- 
tablished att PHmouth in the couutie of Devon 
for the plantin<ye rulmj^e orderin^e and gov- 
erninge of New-En2:lande in America for divers 
good causes and considerations them thereunto 
especially moovinge Have given granted bar- 
gamed soulde enifeoffed allotted and set over 
and by these presentes doe hereby and abso- 
lutely give grannte bargaine sell alien enffe- 
ofe allott assigne and confirme unto John 
Beauchamp of London gent, and Thomas Lev- 
erett of Boston in the countie of Lincolne gent, 
their heires associats and assignes — All and 
sijigular those Lands Tenements and heredi* 
laments whatsoever with thappurtenances 
thereof irl New- Engl ande aforesaide which 
arc situate lyinge and beinge within or be- 
tweene a place there commonly called or 
knowne by the name of Muscongus towards 
the south or southwest and a straight line ex- 
lendmge from thence tenn leagues up into the 
m isne Lande and continent there towards the 
groale sea commonly called the South Sea 
and the utmost limitts of the space of tenn 
Leagues on the north and north-easte of a riv- 
er m New-Englande aforesaid commonly GaU>- 



APPENDIH. 919 

ed Penobscot t towards the nci(h and north- 
easrC and the greate Sea conimonlj called the 
westerne ocean towards the easte and a straight 
line extendinge from the most westerne parte 
and pointe of the said straight line which ex- 
tendes from Muscongus aforesaid towards the 
South sea to the uttermost northerne limitte 
of the said tenn leagues on tlie north side of 
•the said river of Penobscott towards the weste 
— And all Landes groundcs woods soiles di- 
vers waters fishings hereditaments proffitts 
commodities privileges ffrannchises and emolu- 
ments whatsoever situated lyinge and beinge 
arise inge and happeninge or renneinge or 
shall arise happen or renne within the lim- 
ittes and boundes aforesaide or any of them 
togeather with all Islandes that lie and be with- 
in 4he space of three miles of the said Lands 
or premisses or any of them 

To have and to holde all and singrular the 
said landes tenements and hereditaments and 
premisses whatsoever with thappurtenances 
and every parte and parcell thereof unto the 
said John peauchamp and Thomas Leverett 
their heires associatts and assignes forever to 
the only proper and absolute use and behoofe 
of the said John Beauchamp and Thomas Lev* 
ere!, their ho-'cs associolts and assignes for 
^yer aiore To be holdea of the Kinges most 



iOO APPENDIX. 

excellent. Ma. tie. his heires and successors as 
of his mannor. of East-Greenwich bv H'ealtie 
and not in capite nor by Knigtes service yeeld- 
ing and pajinge unto his ma. tie. his heires and 
successors the ffifte parte of all such share of 
gold and silver as sliali be gotten and obtained 
in or uppon the premisses or any parte thereof 
In Witness whereof the said counsel! estab- 
lished att Plimouth in the countie of Devon 
for the plaotinge rulinge orderinge and gov* 
erninge of New-Englande in America have 
hereunto putt their common seal the thirteenth 
day of march in the ffifte year of the raigne of 
our Soveraign Lord-r-Charles by the grace of 
God King of Englande Scotlande Ifrannce, and 
Irelande defender of the faithe &*c. &;c— Anno 
Domini 1629 

[Seal] WARWICKE 



[No. 3.] 

The ancient limits of Acadia are thus de- 
scribed in the treaty of St. Germains. " Ex* 
tending on the west towards New-England by 
the river Penobscot or Pentag^oet, thaj i§ tt> 



APPENDfiT. 101 

^y, beginning at its mouth and from thence 
drawing a right line on the north side as i'ar 
as the river St. Lawrence, or the great riveF 
©f Canada, on the north by the said river St. 
Lawrence along its southern shore as far as 
Gape Hosiers, situate at its entrance ; its eas- 
tern limits extend through the gulf of St. 
Lawrence, from said Cape Hosiers on the 
south east side by the Islands of Baccalaos, or 
Cape Breton, leaving these Islands to the 
right and the gulf of St. Lawrence and INew- 
foundland, with the Islands thereto belonging 
to the left, as far as the cape or promontory 
called Cape Breton ; and its southern^ limits 
extend through the great. Atlantic Occ an^ 
drawing a line on the southwest side from the 
said Cape Breton through Cape Sable^ com- 
prehending the island of the same name ia 
the entrance oi the Bay of Fundy, wbicli 
rises on the east side within the country, as 
far as the mouth of said river Penobscot or 
Pentagoet."^" The French claimed however 
to Sagadahoc, which is the Androscogin.f 

* Intercepted French papers translated and publish- 
ed, New-Yoik,1759. Smollett's England, vol. 2, paeo. 

t Turner's map of NovaScotiaj, 



i02 APPENDTXr 

£,^0. 4.]— Seepage 1^. 

'^ Boston in J\ew England, 20th October, 1654 

May it please this honored court, 

Providence having soe disposed it as to> 
bring the province of Acadia under the power 
and government of his highness Oliver, lord 
protector of England, Scotland and Ireland, 
we well knowing whatgreate respect you owe 
unto the state of England, and not doubting of 
your readiness in any thing you can to mani- 
fest the same to them, are, therefore encour- 
aged to make these few propositions in the 
name of his highness and the state of England. 

Iv That you would be pleased to declare 
that if the English inhabiting in the country 
of Acadia be at any time assaulted with an 
enemy, or in any occasion of needing helpe 
from this government, you will assist us with 
such men as we may stand in neede of we 
paying for them according to the custom of 
paying soldiers in tliis country in any service 
you employ them in. 

2. That as its well knowne, that at pres- 
ent there is noe wayes to maintaine the vast 
expence of the garrison but by trade with the 
saivagea, as its now a settled la in that pr-vV- 
ince that not any- should trade with them but 



APPENBK. iO«^ 

^ch as are deputed by those in authority in 
that province, that accordingly you would as- 
sent and consent that law and order, soe as 
when any shall be convicted of the breach 
thereof they may suffer as if they had been 
taken in the province of Acadia. 

Many reasons we might give and shall if 
desired, why there might be a compliance 
with us in this our request but we hope that 
respect and compliance with England will be 
aro'ument enough to admit this favour, in 
wbicii we hope we attend much the good 
of these plantations, and be confident yuu 
sha; tind us readie to our power to serve yoa 
eit^^er here or in any place God shall caste us 
in, and remain your humble servants. 

(Signed,) ROBERT SEDGWICK^ 

JOHN LEVERETT. 

WM. HATHORNE. 

ROBERT FEARM. 

MARK HARRISON. 

ROBERT MARSTIN.^ 

^ State papers, printed by T. &. J. Fleet : Bo^-. 
tpn, 1769, page 254* 



^^je?^^/ife^/^5^^e^~ 



f > 



REGISTER. 



^register of the Legislative Officers, mihin the County 
of Waldo for the political ijear 1827. 



COUNSELLORS, 



Samuel Whitney, of Brooks. 
Jonathan Thayer, ofCamdetk. 



SENATOR. 
John S. Kimball, of Belfast. 



REPRESENTATIVES. 

'Belfast — Ralph C. Johnson. 
Bnrnham^ S^c. — Martin Edmonds. 
Camden — Ephraim Wood, 
Frankfort — Thomas Snow. 
Hope, S^x. — James Weed. 
Knox, Src. — James Lamson. 
lAncolnville, 6fc. — Samuel A. Whitney. 
Monroe, Sfc. — Hosea Emery. 
Montville, 8fc. — Joseph Gowen. 
JVorthport , 8^c — David AldeVi, Jj^, 
Prospect — E ghraim K. Smgiirl..^ 



COUNTY REGISTER. 



As the County of Waldo is eompoged of a portioii 
of Hancock, Lincoln and Kennebeck, its register can 
be found only in detached parts — and theSie parts iV '-d 
some correction. These considerations have raised a 
belief, that a register of the county could not fail to be 
acceptable ; and it has been prepared accordingly, and 
many errors that occur in the State register are here 
corrected. 

COURT OP SESSIOKS. 

Bohan P. Field, of Belfast, Chief Justice. 

Joseph Shaw, Thorndike, ) Associate JiiS- 

Thomas Eastman, Palermo, ) tices. 

Co7nmittee on Roads. 

Paul H. Stevens, Lincolnville. 
Stephen Ide, Brankfort. 
Philip Greely, Knox. 

Judge of Probate— 'Allred Johnson, Jim. Belfast. 

R3o;ister of Probate — Natb'l M.Lowney, Frankfoii. 

R ic^ister of Deeds — (not yet chosen.) 

Cmntij Trasurer — - do. 

Clerk Of Ike Courts — {ugh J. Inderson, Belfast, 

^nunty Jktovney — JoseoU tViiliamson, Belfast. 



I0'8 APPENDIX. 

APPOINTED TO QUA.LIFY CIVIL OFPICERIs. 

Belfast — Alfred Johnson, Jun. ; Daniel Lane. 
Brooks — Samuel Whitney. 
Camden — Jonathan Thayer. 
Frantcfort — \lexander Milliken ; Joshua Hall. 
Lincolmille — Ephvaim Fletcher ; Nath'l Millikeo. 
JItftmro€— Azariah Edwards. 
Montville — Joseph Chandler ; Joseph Gowen. 
Palermo — Moses Burley ; Thomas Eastman. 
Swaiiville — Ebenezer Williams. 
Unity — Ruius Burnham. 



Justices op the Peace and Quorum. 

Belfast — Bohan P. Field ; Wm. Crosby; John Wilsoa; 
John iVIerrJam ; Alfred Johnson, Jr.; Daniel 
Lane ; J«)seph Williamson J John S. Kimball. 

Brooks — Phineas Ashmun. 

Camden — William Parkman; Jonathan Thayer ; Ben- 
jamin Ciisiiing. 

Frankfort — Josli ua Hall 

Liiir.olnville — Ephraim Fletcher; Nathaniel Milliken. 

Montville — Joseph Chandler ; Joseph Gov/en ; Ebene- 
zer Everett. 

JVorthport — David Alden. 

Palermo — Thomas Eastman ; Eli Ayer. 

Searsmont — Harry Hazeltine. 

Swanville — Ebenpzer Williams. 

'Unity — Rufus Burnham. 



Justices of the Peace, 

, Belfast — George Wats ui ; Samuel Gordon ; Arvida 
'Hayiord ; VV'illiam Moody ; Asa Edmunds ; ivlanasseh 



APPENBEC. 



109 



Sleeper ; Ralph C. Johnson ; James M'Crillis ; Wil-- 
liam VVhite ; Joseph E ay res ; Rufus B. Allyn ; James 
White ; Peter Rowe ; S. W. Eells ; John Brown ; 
James Poor ; Nath'l H. Bradbury ; John Clark; Hugh 
J. Anderson. 

Bdniont — Joseph Drew ; James Weymouth ; James 
Bicknell ; William White -^d. ; Ahiel Cushman. 

J5 rooA-s— Samuel Whitney ; William Huxtord ; Josh- 
ua Perry ; Jacob Roberts ; Thomas Sawyer ; Luther 
Fo£g. 

Burnhmn — Ebenezer Williams ; Martin Edmonds. 

Camden — Samuel Jacobs ; Job Ingraham, Jun. ; 
Richard Wilson ; Jesse Gushing ; Ephraim Wood ; 
David Tolman ; Robert Chase ; Daniel Packard ; 
Ed vard Haniford ; Charles R. Porter ; Stephen Bar- 
rovva ; William Carlton. 

Franhfori—\y WWdiXn McGlathry ; Archibald Jones ; 
Abner Bicknell ; Samuel Merrill ; Tisdale Deane ; 
Simeon Kenney ; Bailey Pierce ; Thomas Snow ; 
Joseph Thompson ; Ehjrih P. Pike ; Oliver Parker ; 
James B. Chick ; Nathan el M. Lowney. 

Freedom — William Sibley ; Peter Ayer ; Ithamar 
Bellows; Nathan W. Chase; Matthew Randall.; 
Robert Thompson ; Jason Wood ; Daniel Ricker. 

Hope — Fergus McLane ; Matthew Beveridge ; Al- 
mond Gushee ; Wade Sweetland ; Micah Hobbs ; 
Thaddeus Hastings ; Frye Hall ; Boyce Crane ; Rob- 
ert Jacobs ; William Battie ; James Weed. 

Islesborou2;h — Josiah Farrow. 

Jackson — Bordman Johnson ; Thomas Morton ,; 
Ezra Abljot ; Silas Warren ; Isaac Abbot ; Timothy 
Thorndike. 

K^io.i' — Philip Greely ; James Lamson ; «John Kd- 
S"ey ; Joliu Maskell. 

Liberty — Jonathan Fogg. 
Ul 



1 IQ APPENDIX, 

Lincolnville- — Sam'l A.Whitney ; Hezekiah French; 
Jonathan Fletcher ; Paul H. Stevens ; SamU D. Reed. 

Monroe — Joseph Neally ; Ezra Thistle ; rlosea 
Emery ; Luther Parker ; Winthrop Frost. 

Montville — Timothy Copp ; Cyrus Davis ; Nathaniel 
Emery ; Moses True ; Richard Small ; Sam'l Atkin- 
son ; Robie jl rye. 

JVorthport. — Jones Shaw ; Phineas Billings ; Henry 
Brown ; Jonathan Holbrook ; Patrick Mahoney ; Da- 
vid Alden, Jun. 

Palermo — Moses Burley ; Christopher Erskine ; 
Samuel Buffum ; Elijah Grant ; Jonathan Greeiy. 

Prospect. — Andrew Leach ; Joseph P. Martin ; Jon* 
athan I)<^w ; Josiah Lane ; Zetham French, Jun. ; 
John Cliftbrd ; Ezra Treat ; Samuel Shute ; James 
Blaachard ; Nathaniel Kidder ; Green Pendleton ; 
Stephen Ellis ; EphraimK. Smart; Benjamin Houston. 

Searsmont. — Noah Prescott ; Ansel Lothrop ; Wat- 
erman Maxcy ; James Mahoney ; John Moody. 

Sicanville. — James Leach ; Ebenezer Williams, jr..; 
Samuel Eames. 

Thorndike. — Joseph Shaw ; Joseph Blethen ; Josi- 
ah Moulton ; Peter Harmon ; Thomas Holbrook. 

Troy. — James Parker; Dennis Fairbanks, Charles 
Hillman ; Hanson Whitehouse. 

Unity. — Henry Farwell ; P- miel Whitmore ; Thom- 
as Broadstreet ; Hezekiah Chase ; Isaac Adams ; Ab- 
ncr Knowles ; John Stevens ; James Fowler ; Elijah 
Winslow. 

Ji}ypleton Plantation. — William Meservey ; Benja. P. 
Keene ; Abraham Ripley ; George Pease, 

TValdo Plantation. — Henry Davidson f Hall Cleiri- 
ents. 



APPENDIX. 1 1|| 

JS^otaries Public. 

Belfast. — Jilfrcd JohmGn,jr. ; Manasseh Sleeper, 
C.wMDEN. — Joiutihan Tiiaijer. 
X'niN'KFORT, — Archibald Jones. 
LiNcoLi^vinE. — Samuel D. Reed. 



Counsellors at Law. *' 

Belfast. — Bohan P. Field ; William Crosby ; Johu^ 
fVii^on ; William White ; Alfred, Johnson, jr, ; Joseph- 
Wiiiiainson ; JJ, B. Mhjn ; James Wkiie. 

B iv o X s . — Phine as Ask mnn . 

C A VIDE -I. — Jonathan Thayer ; Charles R. Porter. 

Frankfort, — Archibald Jones. 



Atlorneys at the Common Pleas. 

Belfast — William Stevens ; Hiram O. Alden. 
Fr^.nkfort. — JS*athanielM. Loivney jAlbert L. Kelley. 
Montville. — John Emerson. 



Sheriff] 
GA.MDEN. — Joseph Hall; 



1.12 APPENBiX. 

Bcputy Sheriffs. 



Co) oners, 

Belfxsi\'>^- Joseph Houston ; Stephen Longjdlo-iii^, 
BaooPis. — Joseph Freeraan. 
Camden. — Ephraim Wood ; AldcnBass. 
Frankfort. — Daniel Toby ; Tisdale Deone ; Henry 
U. Trevett ; Elisha Chick ; JVuihan Weed. 

Hope. — William ^drnold ; John Jones ; Wiiliam Has- 

'y- 

IsLESBORO* — Elisha Eames. 

Jackson. — Jonathan Wright. 

Knox. — Scolly Baker. 

LiNcoLNviLLE. — SoloMon BrooJcs ; Josiah Stetson ^ 
Israel Miller. 

MoNTviLLE. — Stephen Barker. 
> MonTKPORT. — Benjamin Stevens. 

Palermo. — Jacob Greely^jr. ; Chase Robinson^ jr. 

Prospect. — Paid Ritchborn. 

Searsmont. — Bailey Moore. 

SwANViLLE. — Samuel Eames. 

Thorndike. — Silas Whitcomb. 

Troy. — Joseph Green. 

Unity. — Daniel Whiimore ,- Mesekiah Chase .; John. 
Stevens. 



APPENDIX. 11-3 

Inspectors of Fish. 

BELFAST. — Willimn Becket ; Robert Emery. 
Camden. — Tilson Gould ; — Robert Ogier. 
Frankfort. — Tisdale Deane ; John Lindsey ; Mne)" 
Twining. 

IsLESBORo' — Job Philbrook. 
Prospect, — Daniel Putnam. 



Inspectors of Limt, 

Gamden. — Job Ingrahamyjr. 
Hope. — Thomas Bartleit. 
Lincolnville. — Jibner Milliken^ jr. 

10* 



BELFAST TOW JV OFFICERS for 1827o 



iSfathaniel H. Bradbury, Town Clerk. 



Boban P. Field, ^ Selectmen, Assessors and Ot- 

Robeit Patterson, 2d. \ ^^^^^^.^ r^J^^ p^^^^ 

John Palmer, ) 



Thomas Marshall, Treasurer and Collector of Tax^, 



Auditors of Accounts, 
Rufus B. Allyn ; R C. Johnson ; William Gnnnef. 



Police Officers, 

-Fhilip Morrill ; John S. Kimball ; Samuel A. MonK 
ton j Joel Hills ; James Lang worthy. 



lU 



APPEN1>I#; 



Surveyors of Bighvmy^^ 

District No. 1. — Alexander Houston. 
2. — Joseph Houston. 
3. — George Patterson. 
4.-r-James Durham. 
5. — Hiram Holmes. 
6. — Robert White. 
7. — Joseph P. Ladd. 
Stephen Longl'ellow. 
a u 8_Robert Patterson, '2A. 

« " 9 — David Otis \ John T. PooC 

a a 10 — Samuel W. Miller. 

a u i\ — Calvin Pitcher. 

Benjamin P. Dillingham. 



Confilahhs. 
William Salmond— John W. Shepherd, 



Firewards. 



©eorge W^atson. 
Daniel Lane. 
Joseph Smith. 
Be ijamin Hazeltine. 
Ralph C. Johnson. 



Philip Morrill. 
John S. Kimball. 
BohanP.Field 
Benjamin Cunninghalff". 
Salathiel Nickerson, jr. 



I 



Tithinifwen. - 

"Thomas Pickard j Peter Osgood ^ William Durhajw 



I 



APPElVt)!*. 1 W; 

3)!rvey€rs of Lumber and Measurers of Wood^ 

l^uiban B, Foster, ' James Gammans. 

Samuel Frtnch. John Gjoos. 

Benjamin Eells. Jonas Emery. 

Jo})n Haraden. John T. Poor. 

Samuel Jaekson. jr. Shepherd B. Blanchar^. 

Willian. Becket»^ JoFcpI Treat. 

San.'jel Jackson. Jun et- RicCrillis. 

Samuel B Kcnson. Pe:ei V hshIow. 

Salathial ]V r l;eiM n, jr. J« K!f«h J- liincK 

Thomas Cursningham. Otho Abbot, 
Samuel Giibieth, 



Gulkr of Hoops and Staves. 
J, L. Moor, 



Getieral School Ccmmittee. 

Rev. Willirm Frolhingham : Bev. ISafhanicI Wa^es ; 
jHiram O. Aiden ; William Poor \ Zebah >\ ayhburn, 



Law Agent, 
Bohaa P . Field 



115 







^^►PENBIX^ 






School j1 gents. 


Ustri 


ct No. 


1.— Mark Blaisdel. 


a 


a 


2. — Lewis Bean, ;-d. 


a 


u 


3.— Robert Patterson, 3d 


u 


i( 


4 and 5.— Philip Morriil. 


« 


a 


€.— C C. Chandler. 


a 


a 


7.— John W Wilder 


u 


a 


8. — Benjamin Monroe 


ii 


u 


9. — Nahum Hunt. 


(i 


u 


10 —John T. Poor. 


u 


ii. 


11.— R<.beit Hills. 


u 


'a 


12.— Nathaniel Gilmore 


ii 


a 


13. — Dennis Enic- y. 


a 


<« 


.14.— James McCriliis. ' 



BELFAST DEBJTLYG CLUM. 

Present officers. 

Alfred Johnson, jr. President. 
Joseph VViliiamson, 1st Vice President. 
James White, 2d do. 

Hiram O. Alden, Secretary. 

John S. Kimball, 

William Cr(.sby, 

Bohan P. Field, )- Standing Coiwfintter 

R. C Joluison, 

Daniel Laoet,. 



I 



APPENDIX, ^19 

Insurance Offices* 

The following offices have assents in Belfast. 

Mamifachirers and Mechanics^ Boston— J&mes White, 
Commonwealth, Boston — G. F. Cox. 
Protection^ ffirfford, Conn — H. 0. Alden. 
jyew-Engkindj Concord, JV. iT.— William Stevens. 



CUSTOM HOUSE. 

j^aniel Lane, Collector of the Customs. 

Kathaiiiel H. Bradbury, Deputy Collector, Inspectoii^, 

Ganger, Sfc. 
James Douglass, Inspector, e^nploycd in revenue hooA. 

Camden. 
6alvin Curtis, Inspector. 

Frankfort. 
^aron Holbrook, Inspector. 

Bangor, 
*Joseph Carr, Inspecier. 



•K^RATA. 
Pag:en,note 2, for 1803 read 1^^.03. 

" 14, note 1 refers to K>08, and should have followea the T€> 
erence toPopham and Gilbert on the preceding pag-e. 
" 'Zl line 4 strike out and. 

33, line 9 in note, for Barrett read Barnet. 
49. line 17. The courts of the county of Waldo are " to 
''"held in the hall, and county offices there " to be" kept. 
' 67. line 10, after it insert and. 
^ 69, line 24, for emi:>-ration read en^ioramts. 
'^ 72, line 2, for Charles read Noah. " 



be 










/, 





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